The Etihad Aviation Group board of directors today appointed Ray Gammell as interim group chief executive officer (CEO), and confirmed that current president and group CEO, James Hogan will leave the company on 1 July, 2017.

Gammell will assume full management responsibilities from today. Gammell is Etihad Aviation Group’s current chief people and performance officer and has been a member of the executive leadership since joining the business in 2009, where the carrier says he has led the “creation of a performance culture across the group”.

A parallel handover will occur as Ricky Thirion assumes full responsibilities as group chief financial officer, James Rigney, who will also leave the company on 1 July, 2017.

Etihad Aviation Group, chairman of the board, H.E. Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei says: “Ray and Ricky are experienced leaders and have the complete confidence of the Board. Ray will now take full management responsibility for the Etihad Aviation Group, ensure a coordinated group approach, and continue to advance the strategic review that was initiated by the board in 2016 to reposition the business for continued development in what we anticipate being a prolonged period of challenges for global aviation.”

“We have strengthened our group leadership with recent appointments and are now in the advanced stages of recruitment for a new group CEO. The board has been very pleased with the calibre of candidates, and we expect to make an announcement in the next few weeks.”