Brazilian carrier GOL Linhas Aéreas has announced a major leadership change, naming André Fehlauer as its new Chief Executive Officer effective in September 2026. He will replace Celso Ferrer, who will leave the company on August 31 to pursue a new professional opportunity.
The change comes at an important moment for GOL as the airline moves beyond a period dominated by financial restructuring and begins focusing more heavily on growth, operational performance and integration within the Abra Group, which also controls Avianca.
Ferrer has spent more than two decades at GOL and had served as CEO since 2022. During his tenure, he helped guide the airline through a significant financial and corporate restructuring while strengthening its operations and overseeing GOL’s integration into the Abra aviation group.
A Familiar Face Returns to GOL
Fehlauer is not new to the company. He previously spent approximately eight years at GOL, including leadership roles at its Smiles loyalty business in both Brazil and Argentina.
More recently, he served as CEO of Livelo, one of Brazil’s largest loyalty and rewards programs. His previous experience also includes positions at Citi and Credicard.
That background could be particularly relevant as airlines increasingly look beyond ticket sales and use loyalty programs, partnerships and customer data as important sources of revenue and customer retention.
According to GOL, Fehlauer’s appointment is intended to provide continuity to the airline’s current strategy while beginning a new phase focused on creating value and developing additional synergies with other airlines within the Abra Group.
Operations Leadership Also Expands
The leadership transition will also increase the responsibilities of Albert Perez, currently GOL’s Chief Operating Officer.
Perez will become President and COO, continuing to oversee the airline’s day-to-day operations while taking on broader executive responsibilities.
He joined GOL in 2024 following more than 20 years in the aviation industry, including leadership positions at Avianca, JetSMART and Vueling. Since arriving at GOL, Perez has worked on operational improvements, process redesign and a culture of continuous improvement.
GOL’s Next Chapter
The CEO transition appears to mark a shift in emphasis for GOL.
The previous several years were largely about financial stabilization and restructuring. The next phase could increasingly revolve around network expansion, operational efficiency, customer loyalty and closer coordination with Abra Group airlines.
That last point could be especially significant.
Closer cooperation between GOL and Avianca could eventually create stronger connectivity across Brazil, South America, Central America and international markets. While the airlines continue to operate as separate brands, Abra has considerable opportunities to coordinate schedules, partnerships, loyalty programs and connecting traffic across its network.
GOL has also been expanding both its domestic and international network, making operational execution increasingly important as the airline positions itself for renewed growth.
Fehlauer therefore inherits a company very different from the GOL of only a few years ago: financially reorganized, privately held after its corporate restructuring, integrated into a larger airline group and preparing for a new competitive chapter in Brazilian and Latin American aviation.
For travelers, the most interesting question will be whether the leadership change translates into expanded routes, improved connectivity and deeper cooperation between GOL and other Abra Group carriers.
Those developments could ultimately have a much more visible impact than the change of name on the CEO’s office door.
