Surf Air Mobility Names Palantir Veteran Shawn Pelsinger as Chairman Effective July 24
Surf Air Mobility will elect Shawn Pelsinger as Chairman of the Board effective July 24, 2026, replacing Carl Albert, who transitions to Chairman Emeritus. Pelsinger, former Global Head of Corporate Development at Palantir, led key strategic partnerships including SurfOS integration, positioning the company to advance its AI-enabled air mobility platform.
1. Board Leadership Transition
Effective July 24, 2026, Surf Air Mobility appointed Shawn Pelsinger as Chairman of the Board, succeeding Carl Albert, who will become Chairman Emeritus and continue advising the company after his three-year term ends.
2. Pelsinger’s Strategic Background
Pelsinger joined the board in October 2025 and previously served ten years at Palantir as Global Head of Corporate Development & Senior Counsel, where he originated the strategic partnership powering SurfOS and led collaborations with Airbus and other major firms.
3. Implications for SurfOS Development
With deep enterprise software expertise, Pelsinger is expected to drive commercialization of the AI-enabled SurfOS platform, leveraging his legal and development experience to expand BrokerOS, OperatorOS and Enterprise Solutions across the Part 135 private aviation market.