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.
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
