President & Chief Executive Officer
Etihad Aviation Group
James Hogan was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Etihad Aviation Group in May 2016.
Under James Hogan, the key Etihad Aviation Group functions include finance, strategy and planning, people and performance, and information and technology, providing leadership, governance and strategic direction across all companies in the Group, including Etihad Airways, Etihad Airways Engineering, the Hala Group, and the airline equity partners.
As President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways for 10 years, he oversaw the development of the Abu Dhabi-based airline and its evolution into a travel and tourism group. He was also responsible for creation and implementation of the unique equity alliance model, leading the acquisition of equity stakes in eight airlines during the period between 2011 and 2015. He currently serves as Vice Chairman on the Boards of equity partners such as Alitalia, Jet Airways, Air Berlin and Air Serbia.
He has more than 30 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. James has been named Aviation CEO of the Year by CEO Middle East Magazine and CAPA Airline Executive of the Year 2012. He received the Executive Leadership Award at the Airline Strategy Awards in 2013 and was inducted into The British Travel and Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame in 2014.
He was ranked in 2015 among the Top 25 Most Influential Executives in the business travel industry by Business Travel News. In December 2015 Etihad Airways was also named the 2016 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine.
James was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air in 2002, where he held the position for four years. James joined Gulf Air from his position as Chief Executive of the Tesna Consortium, created with the aim of acquiring Ansett Airlines.
He started his career in the aviation sector at Ansett Airlines and subsequently held senior positions with British Midland International (BMI), Hertz, Forte Hotels and Gulf Air.
At BMI, he left in 1998 to then return the following year as Chief Operating Officer where he was in charge of cargo, commercial, engineering, handling, marketing, operations and sales departments and a member of the Board.
At Hertz, during 13 years in the directorship of various marketing, sales and operations divisions, he joined the executive management committee as Vice President Marketing & Sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa in 1995.
James is currently Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors. He is a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.