Tony Douglas will join the Abu Dhabi-based airline group in January. He is currently chief executive of the MoD’s defence equipment and support department, responsible for procuring all equipment and services for the British Armed Forces.

Douglas has previous airline industry experience with airport operator BAA, including as managing director of the Heathrow Terminal 5 project and as the airport’s chief executive.

His experience in the UAE includes being chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports Company and of the Abu Dhabi Ports Company. Douglas said: “Etihad is a force in global aviation that must continue to adapt and evolve on its own and with industry partners. It is an economic and employment engine for the UAE and the region.

“With new infrastructure and attractions like the expanded airport, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi Global Market, Etihad has a central role in supporting the UAE’s position as a global hub of transportation, tourism, commerce, and culture.”