Etihad Aviation Group president and CEO James Hogan will
leave his position in the second half of this year.
Hogan has been in the position since 2006, over which time
the carrier has grown from a regional fleet of 22 aircraft into a global
aviation company with 120 aircraft, according to chairman Mohamed Mubarak
Fadhel Al Mazrouei. Etihad also has created a partnership network by investing
in carriers like Airberlin, Air Serbia, Alitalia and India's Jet Airways. A
year ago, BTN named Hogan one of its 25
Most Influential for creating that network.
With Hogan's departure, Etihad will "continue an
ongoing, companywide strategic review" to "ensure that the airline is
the right size and right shape," Mazrouei said. "We must progress and
adjust our airline equity partnerships even as we remain committed to the
strategy."
According to Bloomberg, Hogan said in a speech last week at
a Dublin aviation conference that most of Etihad's investments have become
profitable, but Airberlin and Alitalia presented "greater challenges."
Airberlin already announced a restructuring
plan last year in which it will trim its fleet, spin off leisure-focused
flights into their own business unit and lease
40 aircraft to the Lufthansa Group. Meanwhile, Etihad is "actively
participating" in a restructuring plan at Alitalia.
Etihad
CFO James Rigney is leaving alongside Hogan, both of whom are joining an
investment firm. Etihad is conducting a global search to fill both positions.