Etihad Airways appoints new Head of Corporate Communications

He will report to airline's CEO, James Hogan, at Etihad's Abu Dhabi headquarters. Mr Burns, 48, previously held the same position for five years at British Airways in London.

He joined BA in September 2001 from the public relations consultancy Bell Pottinger, where he handled European and North American PR programmes for Dubai-based Emirates.

"Etihad's future growth and development means that both external and internal communications will rise in importance, and Iain's experience in the aviation sector is ideally suited in telling the story of our expansive agenda to the media and our own employees," said James Hogan.

Iain Burns left British Airways in October 2006, his second spell at the airline having managed its Press Office in the late 1990s for three years.

Prior to that lain Burns was the PR Manager for American Airlines in the UK, and he held a similar positions at both BM Heathrow and Manchester Airport.

His corporate communications career began in the industrial sector at British Nuclear Fuels Limited.

"This is an exciting time to join Etihad which has come a long way in a short period of time and has great plans for the future. I am very much looking forward to playing my part in articulating the airline's formidable strategy to a growing audience around the globe," added Mr Burns.

It is anticipated Iain will take up his new role in January 2007.