Updated: Movers & Shakers in Middle East Aviation

February 2010

Etihad welcomes Doha country manager
Etihad Airways has hired Ahmed Thani Salim Mousa Al Halyan as its country manager for Qatar, based in Doha. Ahmed has worked in the airline industry for nearly 10 years, most recently as commercial manager for Emirates Airline and prior to that, with Dubai Customs.

Sales director joins Safi Airways
Afghan carrier Safi Airways has appointed Thomas Bommer as director for sales and marketing for its Afghanistan, UAE and overseas markets. Bommer joins the airline with a total of 33 years of experience in the aviation business, 15 years of which he spent in management functions for Swissair overseas. In addition, he brings with him knowledge of international, schedules and charter airline, air cargo and aviation management in West Africa and the Middle & Far East.

ACS moves its Dubai dealer to New York
Stuart Smith has joined the New York branch of Air Charter Service as its cargo sales director. Formerly holding the same role in the company’s Dubai operation, Smith takes over from Gary Hopkins as he moves to Toronto to head up the new office there. Smith joined the air charter firm’s London office in 2005, and moved to the UAE to help with the newly formed Dubai office in 2006. In 2009 Smith was in charge of the Dubai cargo department as it more than doubled 2008’s figures despite the economic downturn.

New faces at Etihad Airways
Four new members have joined the Etihad Airways team recently. Hareb Al Muhairy has been appointed as vice president, corporate communications, Vijay Poonoosamy has taken up the position of vice president, international and public affairs, Kumar De Silva joins as the airline’s country manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives, and Roberto ‘Bobby’ Hukom as country manager for the Philippines. Al Muhairy joined Etihad’s corporate affairs department in April 2009 and has been responsible for planning and implementing the media strategy for the airline in the Middle East. Poonoosamy’s overall responsibilities include establishing the airline’s standing on the international arena, while De Silva, a Sri Lankan national, will be based in Colombo to re-establish the airline’s office and oversee its operations in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Meanwhile, Hukom replaces Juan Torres and will be based in Manila. Previously, he was commercial manager for the Philippines for Gulf Air.

Oman Air moves ahead with Omanisation
Oman Air has appointed Sheikh Ahmed Himyar Al Nabhani as chief officer support services. This move forms part of Oman Air’s commitment on its Omanisation programme of senior positions. Sheikh Al Nabhani Nabhani has been with Oman Air for the past 15 years and has worked his way up through the HR department.

Royal Jet hires financial specialist
Richard Roth has joined luxury aviation operator, Royal Jet as chief financial officer. Roth, a finance expert and industry veteran has worked in a number of financial positions in both ICI and Guinness, and was a member of easyJet’s executive management team. Through his own consultancy firm, Consulting 4 Aviation he has worked with MaxJet, SpiceJet and NAS, amongst others.

Vistajet forms advisory board
Vistajet has formed an advisory board, which will be led by its new chairman Robert Hersov. As an entrepreneur (he formed Marquis Jet Europe), Hersov has experience in both the private aviation market and in the luxury goods business. and Hersov’s family established one of South Africa's biggest industrial and mining empires. Not only that, he worked directly with Rupert Murdoch at News Corporation in New York and with Johann Rupert as an executive director at Richemont. The VistaJet advisory board will be comprised of members drawn from a broad spectrum of interests and across the geographies where VistaJet both currently operates and is seeking to expand.

Amadeus makes key appointments
Amadeus, a provider of technology to the travel and tourism industry, has announced that its president & CEO David Jones will be succeeded in January 2011 by present deputy CEO and former CFO Luis Maroto. Ana de Pro will replace Maroto as the company’s new CFO. Prior to joining Amadeus, de Pro held senior management positions at Arthur Andersen, Metrovacesa and Sacyr Vallehermoso. In addition, Sabine Hansen Peck has been appointed vice president, Human Resources, responsible for group HR worldwide. Sabine joins Amadeus from Citigroup where she was head of Human Resources, Europe, Middle East & Africa for the Global Consumer Group.

January 2010

Wataniya Airways appoints new CCO
Wataniya Airways, Kuwait’s premium service airline, has announced the appointment of Lee Shave as the company’s new chief commercial officer bringing along with him more than 20 years of expertise in the international aviation sector. 
Shave began his airline career with British Airways in 1991, before moving to Swissair as executive vice president, sales, marketing and product. After several years in Zurich, he moved to the Gulf working with Qatar Airways and then as vice president marketing and sales at Gulf Air.

December 2009

Etihad appoints new country manager
Etihad Airways has appointed Ken Marshall as its country manager in Nepal. Based in Kathmandu, Marshall will take over from Kumar de Silva, to oversee the airline’s operations in Nepal. Marshall has been with the Abu Dhabi-based airline for five years, previously serving as sales manager for Pakistan. He has also held senior management positions at British Airways, Emirates and Swiss International Airlines.

ADAT announces new COO
Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) has appointed Juergen Haacker as chief operating officer (COO). He joins ADAT from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), where he served as director of operations. The ADAT senior management team is also bolstered by Paul Horstink, who joins as vice president of airframe services, David Hope, vice president of technical services and Talal Yahiya Al Riyami as executive vice president of quality and safety management. ADAT is wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company.

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ExecuJet gets Abu Dhabi representative
Following the news that Aircell has appointed ExecuJet as its first authorised dealer in the Middle East, the airborne communications provider has hired Shoukry Shokralla as sales and service representative in Abu Dhabi. Shokralla will work closely with ExecuJet Middle East as it completes requisite dealer training and begins to work with Aircell customers.

GCAA hires senior safety advisor
In keeping with the General Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) restructuring policy, it has taken on David John Chapman as senior safety advisor. Following the creation of two new departments – the aviation safety department and the security and infrastructure department – Chapman will be required to oversee the application of better regulated, and cost effective safety systems. Prior to the move, Chapman held the position of group director of the safety regulation group at the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

In addition, the GCAA has confirmed the appointment of the first Emirati permanent representative of the UAE on the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Aysha Al Hamili will be the first lady and the youngest representative in the ICAO council. A graduate pilot from the Royal Jordanian Air Academy, Al Hamili will assist the UAE in playing an increased role in the international
aviation arena.

AFI KLM takes on new senior VP
Fabrice Defrance will replace Bruno Delile as AF Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance senior vice president of commercial and business development. Defrance has worked for Air France for a number of years in roles in the aircraft maintenance arm of the airline, as well as a stint in the Europe/North America sales department. His new position will see him assuming responsibility for the upkeep of some 1230 aircraft belonging to 150 airlines.