Edward Bastian

Edward Bastian

Edward H. Bastian is president of Delta Air Lines and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. Ed directs a team focused on maintaining Delta’s solid financial position, growing revenues and strengthening the airline’s global network.   

Ed’s responsibilities include oversight of all commercial aspects of the organization to include Global Sales, Marketing, and Network and Revenue Management; growing ancillary businesses such as Delta Cargo, Delta TechOps and Delta Global Services; and expanding relationships with global partners through the SkyTeam alliance and cross-border joint ventures such as Delta’s industry-leading joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Under his leadership, Delta was named Fortune’s Most Admired Airline in 2011. 

Prior to his appointment as president, Ed served as executive vice president and chief financial officer, a position he held beginning in 2005.  Ed also served as chief restructuring officer between 2005 and 2007, playing a crucial role in the airline’s swift and successful Chapter 11 reorganization.  

Ed joined Delta in 1998 as vice president of Finance and Controller and was promoted to senior vice president in 2000. In that role, he had responsibility for the divisional finance organizations, financial planning and analysis, financial reporting and the company's profit improvement initiatives. He left Delta in early 2005 to become senior vice president and chief financial officer of Acuity Brands. He returned to Delta in July 2005. 

Ed has broad finance and audit experience, including serving as vice president – Finance for Pepsi Cola International, vice president – Business Processes reengineering for Frito-Lay, vice president – Finance and Controller for Frito-Lay International, and as a partner in the New York audit practice of Price Waterhouse specializing in the entertainment, advertising and manufacturing sectors. He also served as the strategic planning partner for Price Waterhouse’s New York Region. 

A 1979 graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a bachelor's degree in business administration, Ed serves on the Boards of Directors of Habitat for Humanity International and the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta.