Ahmed has worked in the airline industry for almost 10 years, most recently as commercial manager for Emirates Airlines and prior to that, with Dubai Customs.

Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer of Etihad Airways, said: "As the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad is focused on recruiting skilled Emirati managers for key roles throughout our growing network. I am very pleased to welcome Ahmed, whose experience with Arabian Gulf carriers is ideally suited to this role, to the Etihad team."