Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aéreas has appointed Antonio Kandir as its new chairman following the death of company founder Constantino de Oliveira Junior, the carrier confirmed on January 26, 2026.
Kandir, who previously served as vice chairman of Gol’s board, steps into the role on an interim basis as the airline begins the process of identifying a permanent successor.
Gol confirmed that de Oliveira Junior died on January 24 in São Paulo after a battle with cancer. He was 57.
De Oliveira Junior founded Gol in 2000 and remained one of the most influential figures in Brazilian aviation for more than two decades. Under his leadership, Gol introduced the low-cost carrier model to Brazil, reshaping the country’s domestic air travel market and dramatically expanding access to flying. The airline grew rapidly, building a network centered on high-frequency domestic routes operated almost exclusively with a fleet centered on the Boeing 737.
After serving as CEO for many years, de Oliveira Junior transitioned to the role of board chairman, where he continued to play a central role in strategic decision-making and long-term planning. Gol credited him with establishing the airline’s core business philosophy and culture, which emphasized efficiency, scale, and cost discipline.
In a statement, Gol said Kandir will lead the board’s work while the company evaluates longer-term governance arrangements. The airline added that its operations, strategy, and commitments remain unchanged under the current executive leadership team.
Kandir brings a background in public policy and corporate governance to the role. Prior to joining Gol’s board, he held senior positions in Brazil’s federal government and has served on the boards of several companies. Gol has not indicated how long Kandir is expected to remain in the chairman role or when a permanent appointment might be announced.
The leadership change comes at a sensitive moment for Gol, which has been navigating financial pressures and broader restructuring efforts in recent years amid a challenging operating environment for airlines in Latin America. Gol is part of the Abra Group, a holding company that also controls Avianca, and has been working to stabilize its balance sheet while maintaining network scale in Brazil’s highly competitive domestic market.
Gol said it would honor de Oliveira Junior’s legacy as it moves forward, noting his role in transforming air travel in Brazil and building the airline into a major regional carrier.
No further changes to Gol’s executive leadership were announced.
