Our
leadership
We're immensely proud of everything we've achieved as a truly diverse travel group, but it's our people who make us who we are. And as we continue to evolve as a business, it's the passion, knowledge and pioneering vision of our leadership that inspires and motivates our teams to deliver on our promise: to transform the travel industry through creativity and innovation.
His Excellency Mohamed Ali Mohamed Al Shorafa Al Hammadi
Mr Mansour Mohamed Abdulqader Mohamed Al Mulla
Mr Jasim Husain Ahmed Thabet
Captain Mohamed Jumaa Rashed Saeed Al Shamisi
Mrs. Farah Abdulla Mohamed Ali Al Mazrui
Dr. Jacob Barend Kalkman
Mr. Jaan Ulrich Albrecht Binderberger
Antonoaldo Neves was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group in October 2022.
Antonoaldo was previously CEO and Board Member of TAP, the national airline of Portugal, where he was responsible for leading a major turnaround that contributed significantly to the development of tourism in Portugal. Before this role, he was President of Azul Airlines in Brazil, which he led to a successful initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. Antonoaldo was also a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he developed the long-term plan for the aviation sector in Brazil.
Beginning his career as a civil engineer, Antonoaldo holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a Master’s Degree in Corporate Finance from the IAG Business School at PUC-Rio.
John Wright is an experienced aviation executive with over 25 years leading operations, customer experience, safety, and technical functions within value-based & full-service international airlines.
As of March 2024, John was appointed as the Chief Operations & Guest Officer of Etihad Airways. He leads all operational functions – including Safety & Quality; Flight, Network, Airport, Technical and Cargo Operations; along with Guest Experience. In addition, he is the nominated Accountable Manager for Etihad Airways in accordance with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority regulations.
In his previous role as Vice President Network, Airports & Cargo Operations, he played a pivotal role in maintaining Etihad's reputation as one of the safest and most efficient airlines globally. Under his guidance, Etihad achieved consistent and high standards on punctuality, baggage reliability and net promotor score. He previously held the position of General Manager Network Operations and Head of A380 Programme, where he oversaw daily operations and the successful implementation of the A380 aircraft program.
John's career highlights also include serving as Project Lead for International Projects at Qantas Airways, where he spearheaded strategic initiatives and business transformations across the Qantas Group.
John has a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) with First Class Honors from The University of Melbourne. He also holds a Six Sigma Black Belt certification from GE and has completed Executive programs at New York University.
Raffael was appointed Chief Financial Officer in December 2022, bringing more than 20 years of international experience across the aviation and retail sectors to the role.
Raffael's remit includes all aspects of aviation financing including Fleet Planning, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Corporate Strategy, Investor Relations, and Financial Planning, Accounting and Reporting.
Prior to joining Etihad, Raffael served as Chief Financial Officer at Infracommerce, the largest e-commerce enabler and solution provider in Latin America.
He also previously held the Chief Financial Officer role at Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal and the Corporate Treasurer position at Brazilian airline Azul Linhas Aéreas, where he took on roles of increasing financial responsibility during a nine-year tenure.
Dr Nadia Bastaki was appointed Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer of Etihad Aviation Group in November 2021, having previously served as Vice President Medical Services since 2014. As Chief, Dr Bastaki is responsible for Etihad’s people and wellbeing strategy, inclusive of employment engagement, employee experience and diversity and inclusion, and leads all core HR functions from reward and performance to manpower and talent management, and learning and development. Dr Bastaki is also responsible for the Asset Management department. Having joined Etihad in 2007, Dr Bastaki has been a key figure in the development of the Etihad Airways Medical Centre, one of the region’s leading healthcare centres in the field of aviation medicine. She represents the first-ever appointment of a female chief executive at the Etihad Aviation Group, in addition to being the first female UAE national to specialise in aviation medicine. Dr Bastaki has nearly 20 years of experience as a medical practitioner and holds a master’s degree in occupational medicine from Manchester University as well as a diploma in aviation medicine from King’s College London.
Frank Meyer was appointed Chief Digital Officer of Etihad Aviation Group in September 2019, leading the Digital Technology & Innovation department. Frank previously held the position of Head of Innovation & Transformation with Emirates Group. Prior to this, he was Group Chief Information Officer for The Adecco Group and Chief Information Officer for Swiss International Air Lines.
Frank holds an Executive MBA from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Applied Sciences in Germany.
Arik De was appointed Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer in December 2023, having previously served as Chief Revenue Officer since December 2022.
In his role oversees Revenue Management, Distribution & E-commerce, Network Planning, Alliances & Joint Ventures, Aeropolitical & Industry Affairs, Etihad Guest, the airline's loyalty programme, as well as the Sales Organisation and the Brand, Marketing and Sponsorships teams.
Arik is an experienced senior executive with a strong background in finance and aviation that includes leading positions at WestJet, Air Asia, Aeroméxico, and most recently, TAP Air Portugal, where he was the Chief Revenue & Network Officer.
Arik holds a Master's degree in Finance and Policy from the University of Chicago.
Karen Clayton was appointed General Counsel in October 2023 and is responsible for leading the Company’s Legal, Ethics and Compliance Department.
Karen is an English qualified solicitor and experienced international senior executive with over 26 years’ experience in legal, governance, data privacy, corporate strategy and risk management having worked for large companies in the global aviation, energy and professional services sectors, including companies listed on the London, New York, Australian and New Zealand stock exchanges.
Before joining the Company, Karen held the position of General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at the International Air Transport Association and prior to that held the same role at Air New Zealand. Before moving into the aviation sector and following a successful career as a commercial litigator in top tier law firms in the UK and Australia, Karen held the roles of UK General Counsel and Company Secretary at National Grid plc and Mercury NZ Limited.
Karen holds an LLB(Hons) degree from Sheffield University, a Diploma in Legal Practice from Exter University and was admitted as a solicitor of England and Wales in September 1999 after completing her professional training at Herbert Smith in London.
