Peter Foster to Retire as Air Astana CEO After Successful Tenure

Peter Foster, Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana, will retire at the end of March 2026.

The airline’s Board of Directors confirmed that Foster will step down from his CEO role but will remain with the company as a Senior Advisor to the Board, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.

In a leadership transition announcement, Nurlan Zhakupov, Chairman of the Board, revealed that Ibrahim Canliel, Air Astana’s Chief Financial Officer since 2003, has been appointed as the new CEO. Canliel’s long tenure with the airline positions him to lead the carrier into its next phase of growth.

Separately, Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry has signed the Civil Aviation Masterplan (CAMP) through 2050 in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).