Ex-Lufthansa exec to lead Emirates sales team

Dubai’s Emirates Airline has confirmed it has hired former Lufthansa Group executive Thierry Antinori to head up its international sales division, only months after he rejected an offer from the European carrier to become CEO of its subsidiary Austrian Airlines.

“Emirates is pleased to confirm the appointment of Thierry Antinori as Executive Vice President Passenger Sales Worldwide,” an Emirates spokesperson said in a statement.

Antinori, who was previously chief marketing and sales officer for Lufthansa for ten years, will join the Dubai-based airline on Oct 1.

The 49-year old left Lufthansa in March and was named CEO of Austrian Airlines earlier this year as part of a reshuffling of Lufthansa senior management.

He had been expected to take up the position at the Austrian flag carrier in April but Lufthansa issued a statement in late March saying Antinori would instead pursue “professional plans outside of the Lufthansa Group.”

The appointment comes amidst a war of wars between the two aviation titans, with the German carrier accused of lobbying its government to stop Emirates serving more German cities.

“Their mantra is to take the Gulf carriers down, as well as dominate the markets they sit in,” Emirates’ president Tim Clarke said in January.