Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways Appoints Tony Douglas as New CEO

Hamilton Nwosa
Writer

Ad

Tinubu Nominates Mahmud Yakubu, Fani-Kayode, Omokri, Others as Ambassadors

By Abiola Olawale President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation. The list features a mix of seasoned career diplomats and high-profile non-career appointees, including several notable political figures whose nominations have instantly generated significant public discourse. ​This second batch of nominations comes…

Why Guinea-Bissau Coup is More Painful Than 2015 Election Loss– Jonathan 

By Abiola Olawale Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has described the recent military coup in Guinea-Bissau, which halted a nearly completed electoral process, as a deeper personal blow than his own 2015 presidential election defeat. ​In a statement following his evacuation from the West African nation where he was serving as an election observer, Jonathan…

Kano Govt Demands Immediate Arrest of Ex-Governor Ganduje Over Security Comments

By Abiola Olawale The Kano State Executive Council has called for the immediate investigation and arrest of the former Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, following what it describes as "inciting and reckless" public comments concerning the state's security situation. The demand, raised after a State Executive Council meeting on Thursday, accused the former governor of…

Ad

Etihad Aviation Group moved forward with its renewal by appointing British military and aviation veteran Tony Douglas to take charge of the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, succeeding James Hogan, architect of its failed bets on insolvent Alitalia SpA and Air Berlin Plc.

 Douglas will join Etihad as chief executive officer in January 2018 from the U.K.’s Ministry of Defence, where he was responsible for procuring and supporting all the equipment and services for the British Armed Forces, the state-owned carrier said Thursday in a statement. The executive has aviation experience, previously managing Heathrow’s Terminal 5 project and serving as CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports.
 “We are delighted to have Tony return to Abu Dhabi to lead Etihad,” Etihad Chairman Mohamed Mubarak Fadel Al Mazrouei said in the statement. Douglas understands the region and “is also deeply knowledgeable about commercial aviation and keenly familiar with Etihad’s challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing industry.”

The new CEO inherits a unique set of challenges at the third-largest Gulf carrier. Hogan’s plan to build a global network around stakes in second-tier carriers faltered as both Alitalia and Air Berlin went bust in quick succession. With the oil price hovering around $50, travel demand in the region has been depressed for some time, and the airline, together with regional rivals Emirates and Qatar Airways, has been embroiled in an industry spat for years with U.S. competitors accusing them of thriving off subsidies from their state owners.

 

bloomberg

Ad

X whatsapp