Skift Take
Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves sent an internal memo to staff late Thursday.
Confirmation from an internal document seen by Skift reveals that Mohammed Al Bulooki has stepped down from his position as chief operating officer at Etihad Airways. The memo, signed by Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves and shared with staff on Thursday evening, confirms this news.
Etihad has appointed John Wright as the interim COO and guest officer, according to information provided to Skift by the airline.
Neves wrote in the memo, “After many years of dedicated service to Etihad, Mohammad Al Bulooki, our Chief Operations and Guest Officer, has decided to step down from his role here at Etihad to pursue new challenges.”
The Etihad spokesperson mentioned to Skift, “We can confirm that Mohammad Al Bulooki is stepping down from his position as COO to pursue other interests. This follows a long and storied career at Etihad, where he held several managerial and executive roles since 2015.”
Wright will serve as the replacement while Etihad conducts a global search for talent. He has been the VP of network, airports, and cargo operations at the carrier since 2013.
Mohammed Al Bulooki’s Career
Al Bulooki started at the UAE national carrier in 2015 as executive vice president and chief commercial officer. He was then promoted to COO and guest officer in 2018.
Al Bulooki is recognized for his role in guiding Etihad through the challenges of the pandemic and the transition to Abu Dhabi’s new Terminal A.
Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Terminal A will significantly increase the emirate’s commercial aviation sector capacity, with facilities capable of processing up to 45 million travelers annually, handling 79 planes simultaneously and 11,000 passengers per hour, triple the size of previous terminals.
