Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, April 2026 — Noida International Airport has appointed Nitu Samra as Interim Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect, following a leadership restructuring aligned with regulatory requirements issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The mandate requires the Chief Executive Officer of an airport in India to be an Indian national.
The appointment comes as Noida International Airport moves closer to operational readiness. Nitu Samra, who has been serving as the airport’s Chief Financial Officer since October 2021, has been closely involved in the airport’s development, overseeing financial stewardship, governance, and strategic planning during a critical phase of the project.
Christoph Schnellmann, who led Noida International Airport as Chief Executive Officer since August 2020, will now join the airport’s Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chairman. In this role, he will continue to support the project and its transition to operations.
Before joining Noida International Airport, Nitu Samra served as Finance Director at LeasePlan India, where she led strategic financial functions including treasury, legal, risk management, financial performance, regulatory compliance, and business profitability. She was also involved in strategic decision-making at the top level and served as a board member of two legal entities in India.
Earlier, Nitu worked as Financial Controller at India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation, where she managed finance, accounting, financial planning, reporting, treasury, and tax functions. She played an instrumental role in handling the RBI application for India’s first mortgage guarantee company license and contributed to the first mortgage guarantee transaction in India.
Nitu also spent nearly six years with Fidelity International as Associate Director – Finance, leading group controlling, management accounts, reporting, transfer pricing systems, finance operational risk forums, and system governance. Her earlier career includes roles with LeasePlan India Ltd. as Manager – Finance and Shriram Group, where she began as a management trainee and later handled finance, MIS, budgeting, fund flow statements, and variance analysis.
About Noida International Airport
Noida International Airport, with IATA code DXN, will connect the greater Delhi area and Western Uttar Pradesh with other cities in India and the world. Designed as a world-class airport, it aims to combine Swiss efficiency and Indian hospitality while offering rich passenger experiences, commercial attractions, and airport services.
Noida International Airport is also committed to an ambitious net-zero emissions goal, supported by sustainable design and operations principles. The airport is expected to play a major role in strengthening regional connectivity and supporting economic growth in the National Capital Region and Western Uttar Pradesh.
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