Etihad Airways has promoted internally to find an interim group chief executive to replace James Hogan who leaves on July 1.
Chief people and performance officer Ray Gammell steps up to take the helm of the UAE carrier.
In a parallel move, group treasurer Ricky Thirion steps up to assume the responsibilities of chief financial officer in place of James Rigney, who also leaves the Abu Dhabi-based airline on July 1.
Gammell, a former officer in the Irish armed forces with experience at Intel and Royal Bank of Scotland, has been part of the Etihad senior management team for more than eight years.
Thirion has overseen the group treasury of the airline for ten years and was previously group treasurer at South African Airways and managing director on the Standard Bank Group.
Etihad Aviation Group chairman Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei said: “Ray and Ricky are experienced leaders and have the complete confidence of the board.
“Ray will now take full management responsibility for the Etihad Aviation Group, ensure a co-ordinated group approach, and continue to advance the strategic review that was initiated by the board in 2016 to reposition the business for continued development in what we anticipate being a prolonged period of challenges for global aviation.
“We have strengthened our group leadership with recent appointments and are now in the advanced stages of recruitment for a new group chief executive.
“The board has been very pleased with the caliber of candidates and we expected to make an announcement in the next few weeks.”