Iran has appointed a first female CEO to lead its national airline, Iran Air, for the first time since it was established in the 1940s.
According to Iran Daily’s report, transport minister appointed Farzane Shrafbafi, the first Iranian woman to hold a PhD in aerospace engineering, 44, who previously served as a crew member on the Iran Air. She has also served as the director general of the airline’s research department.
Sharafbafi will be succeeding the current CEO Farhad Parvaresh, following the Iran Air’s attempt at revamping its ageing passenger fleet after the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers which lifted international sanctions.
Congrats to Farzaneh Sharafbafi for making #history as the 1st #female CEO of #IranAir–hope to fly them again soon! #Iran #aviation #travel pic.twitter.com/RDZNZxdFOy
— Emily Jane O’Dell (@emilyjodell) July 9, 2017
Iran Air now has a female CEO and Iranian women are among the most educated and ambitious in the world. Really. https://t.co/5MukfcvLyn
— Katya Bohdan (@katyabohdan) July 16, 2017
Sharafbafi’s reign as the CEO can be seen as a milestone towards achieving women empowerment in Iran where there is still a dearth of professional opportunities for women.