Ethiopian Airlines Vice President Samson Alega Bekele Group Customer Experience has been appointed to the apex board following the unanimous vote of the apex board that ended last week. He will serve the remainder of the airline's board of directors until November 2026, adding important voices from one of the widest global networks in aviation.
“We are truly honored to be part of the Apex board of directors and thank the board for their trust and unanimous support in this appointment,” Bekele shared after the official facility. “We are excited to work with the entire board of directors by advancing Apex's vision and helping the industry continue to evolve.”
Ethiopian Airlines currently serves more countries than any other airline in Africa, ranking third in the world after only Turkish airlines and Qatar Airways. The career's reputation for operational reliability, cultural reliability, and service innovation positions it as a growing leader on the global stage.
His appointment comes before a big moment for the airlines within the apex community. Mesfin Tasew, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines Group, will give a keynote speech at Apex/IFSA Global Expo 2025 in Long Beach, California, further highlighting the growing role of airlines in leadership in the global passenger experience.
“Samson Alega Bekele's commitment to raising the passenger journey will ideally add him to the top board,” said Dr. Joe Leader, CEO of Apex Group. “His insights strengthen Apex's global strategy as Ethiopian airlines reach more destinations worldwide than most other airlines.”
A proven leader in customer experience
Bekele has built his career to increase passenger satisfaction while defending cultural relevance. From his previous role as US regional director to his current position overseeing the airline's global customer experience strategy, he continues to focus on delivering thoughtful service and memorable on-boarding journeys.
In a 2024 interview with Apex.aero, Bekele said: “I want passengers to feel seen and respected. The passenger experience is not just about comfort. It's about culture and care.” He led initiatives such as upgrading the in-flight entertainment system, introducing the concept of local food, training cabin staff rooted in Ethiopian hospitality, and developing a multilingual support platform.
Bekele also maintains a visible and active presence within the global passenger experience community. He has religiously participated in Apex, IFSA and Future Travel Experience (FTE) events around the world, participated in panel discussions, and developed cross-industrial collaborations.
Speaking at FTE Apex Asia Expo in Singapore, Bekele emphasized the need to balance innovation and personalization.
At Apex FTE EMEA in Dublin, he took part in a panel on the future of customer journey design and spoke about how Ethiopian Airlines uses cultural insights as a design principle. “We serve a very diverse population, and our role is to unite that experience by celebrating where our passengers come from,” he said during the session.
Representing Africa with a global platform
Bekele is currently one of the few African airline executives serving the Apex Board, bringing an essential perspective from the region, seeing fast-paced aviation growth and increased global connections.
In a 2023 interview with Business Insider Africa, Bekele said, “Africa has the world's youngest population and its own travel culture. We must innovate in a way that speaks directly to African passengers while welcoming the world.”
At Ethiopian Airlines, its innovation came in the form of scalable solutions that reflect Africa's values and traditions. Bekele's strategy allowed airlines to expand their global reach while maintaining their identity, gaining consistent recognition in Apex's verified passenger ratings.
Enhance the Global Experience Agenda
As the association continues to expand its global reach and promote the agenda of personalization, sustainability and inclusion, Bekele's appointment to the pinnacle of Apex Board is at a critical time. One of the world's most geographically broad airlines, his experience strategy, leading his experience, offers valuable insight into shaping global standards.
“Samson will be a strong contributor to Apex's mission,” Dr. Leader said. “As Ethiopian Airlines leads the African continent with customer experience and destination coverage, his voice helps shape airline innovations in every region,” he said, “While passenger expectations evolve, the need for emotional connection remains. Our challenge is to maintain our minds at every stage of our journey.”
Looking forward to 2026
Ethiopian Airlines continues to win industry acclaim for its service excellence and commitment to passenger satisfaction. The airline holds a rating for the 2025 Apex Four Star Airline and ranks in Africa as the 2025 Apex Best Airline. With modernising the fleet and service upgrades, airlines continue to work tirelessly to raise customer rankings.
Bekele's Apex board terminology will be extended until November 2026, so he will play a key role in shaping his long-term apex strategy. He joined global airline and supplier executives to define new benchmarks across cabin innovation, onboard entertainment, biometrics and culturally relevant service design. His appointment also ensures that the leadership of African airlines remains in the evolving global conversations about the passenger experience. Bekele's deep expertise, cross-cultural understanding and consistent industry involvement ensure he makes a lasting contribution to the apex community.
