Iran’s national carrier has appointed its first female CEO, Farzaneh Sharafbani.
Presently occupying roles as Director General of the research department and a board member of Iran Air, Sharafbani will soon replace Farhad Parvaresh as CEO.
Parvaresh has been with Iran Air for 28 years and is reportedly going to work for ICAO, representing Iran.
Sharafbani previously worked as an expert in inter-airline disputes and holds a PhD in aerospace engineering. As well as the first CEO to head up the airline since the company’s inception, she is also the first Iranian woman to hold such a qualification.
According to an article by Skift, in 2014, the proportion of females amongst airline CEOs was reportedly just 5%, having dropped from 15 to 12 between 2010 and 2014.
