Etihad Airways appoints Chief Executive Officer

He said in a statement that "Robert W Strodel has contributed substantially to the considerable success Etihad has enjoyed. Our continued growth and ambitious long term plans make the appointment of a CEO a natural development and it is testament to our strength that we have been able to make this an appointment from within. Robert in his former role as Head of Cargo and Mail has proven his ability to lead and his broad international experience make him the candidate of choice as we continue our expansion."

Of Austrian origin, Robert W Strodel worked for Lufthansa German Airlines for many years. He founded Lufthansa Cargo India in 1996 leading the company as Managing Director. In 2001 he founded his own aviation consultancy in Germany offering global aviation consulting services.

"Our Etihad team of over 70 nationalities has achieved unprecedented success, " said Strodel in a statement in Abu Dhabi. "We look forward with optimism as we move to our next goal which will be marked by the arrival of our new fleet of planes built exclusively to Etihad specifications. Earning the support of our guests and clients here in the UAE and internationally is the essence of our business and we will fulfil our potential as a leading airline for the 21st century by total customer focus."