Etihad Airways has appointed Antonoaldo Neves to replace Tony Douglas as Group CEO. Douglas, as exclusively revealed in Arabian Business last month, is moving to new Saudi carrier RIA.
Neves is the highly regarded former boss of Portuguese airline TAP. The airline has been looking for a new leader after Douglas informed the Etihad board of his decision to take the RIA post.
The launch of RIA is also expected shortly. Backed by the Saudi PIF, around $30bn is initially being invested to create a brand new carrier, with long-term ambitions of becoming a major global player. The initial launch phase, however, will see narrow bodied aircraft rolled out for regional travel, operating out of Riyadh.
Douglas has been in charge of Etihad since January 2018. He was previously the CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Company between 2013 and 2015. He has also held senior positions with airport operator BAA. He has nearly 20 years of experience in transportation, infrastructure and government sectors.
Earlier today, Etihad’s ownership was transferred to the Abu Dhabi wealth fund ADQ.
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