Shai Weiss is Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Atlantic and an Executive Director of its Board. With the belief that everyone can take on the world, Virgin Atlantic leads from the front in pursuit of its vision to become the most loved travel company. In service of its people, customers, and the communities from which it operates.

With an unrelenting commitment to business as a force for good, Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, with a commitment to achieving 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050.

Shai was named Virgin Atlantic CEO in January 2019 and led the Company during Covid-19, emerging from the pandemic a transformed airline, in the process evolving from being a challenger brand to being recognized as a flag carrier. Shai joined Virgin Atlantic in 2014 as Chief Financial Officer later assuming the role of Chief Commercial Officer.

During Shai’s tenure Virgin Atlantic has been recognized as a leader in safety, customer and employee satisfaction and has been awarded the Global Five Star Award by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) for seven years running and the only British carrier to achieve this. In 2022, the airline was ranked as the number one most loved workplace in the UK by Newsweek and 1st in the UK and 7th globally in World’s Best Airlines 2023 by airlinesratings.com

Shai serves as a non-Executive Director of Check Point Software Technologies (NASDQ: CHKP), a leading provider of cyber security solutions. In 2022 Shai served on the Prime Minister’s Business Council.

In 2006 he was a Founding Partner of Virgin Green Fund and an Investment Partner with the Virgin Group from 2012. Before joining Virgin, he held several senior management positions at ntl:Telewest (now Virgin Media), the UK and Europe’s largest cable operator. Shai was part of the turn-around of ntl with roles including Managing Director of Consumer Products, Director of Operations, and Director of Financial Planning for the Consumer division and was behind the merger between Virgin Mobile UK and ntl:Telewest and the subsequent re-brand to Virgin Media. Prior to ntl, Shai established the European office of early-stage technology venture fund JVP and was a Senior Associate with Morgan Stanley Technology Group in London.

Shai holds an MBA from Columbia University in New York and a BBA from City University of New York, Baruch College.

He resides in London, has two children in university, attends Arsenal games whenever he can, loves The New Yorker and attempts to play basketball on weekends.