Etihad appoints senior VP sales
Abu Dhabi, March 17, 2014
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has appointed James Mueller to the new position of senior vice president sales.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the aviation industry, Mueller joins Etihad from United Airlines, where he worked for five years in various senior roles, including vice president Asia Pacific and vice president Atlantic and Pacific Sales.
Mueller’s appointment follows the recent unveiling of the Etihad Aviation Group, a new structure marking the transition of Etihad from a single airline to a wider global aviation and travel group.
The structure, headed by James Hogan as group president and chief executive officer, includes the core airline and a separate division to co-ordinate and manage Etihad’s subsidiaries, joint venture companies and equity partners.
Another key element in the structure is the establishment of the Hala Group, which has been formed recognising the commercial opportunities that have grown beyond air travel across a variety of travel and hospitality businesses.
“The creation of Etihad Aviation Group reflects our growth as one of the world’s leading airlines, and our continued diversification outside the core airline business, as we become a leading aviation and travel group,” said Hogan.
“It is important to have focused leadership throughout the new structure and James Mueller is a great example of someone who has delivered superior business results in multi-cultural environments across a range of airline roles, covering sales, revenue management, marketing and distribution, and general management. He is a welcome addition to our management team.”
Mueller will initially report to Etihad’s chief commercial officer Peter Baumgartner during the group structure’s transition phase.
After the transition, Baumgartner will assume his new role as chief operating officer of the newly formed Hala Group, while Mueller will report to the airline’s chief operating officer, a new position that has been created to oversee the day-to-day running of the core airline. Recruitment for this role is ongoing.
Reporting to Mueller are Etihad’s vice president global sales Daniel Barranger, vice president UAE Hareb Al Muhairi, vice president commercial strategy and planning Adam Phillips, and vice president direct sales Justin Warby. - TradeArabia News Service
