Etihad names Tony Douglas as CEO

Etihad Aviation Group has appointed Tony Douglas as chief executive officer effective from January 2018, the group’s chairman, Mohamed Al Mazrouei, said in a statement on Thursday.

Douglas succeeds James Hogan, who stepped down earlier this year amid a restructuring.

Etihad Airways, along with other carriers in the region, has been hit hard by an increasingly competitive environment aggravated by the drop in oil prices and US President Trump’s travel ban. Etihad reported a net loss of $ 1.87 billion for 2016. The Abu Dhabi carrier, which held a 29.2 percent stake in Air Berlin, in August declared the latter insolvent.

Previously Douglas held senior positions in the UAE, including being the CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports Company and CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Company.

He has served as chief executive of the Defense Equipment and Support department at the UK’s ministry of defense.