Etihad has appointed a senior manager from the UK’s Ministry of Defence as CE as the lossmaking airline looks for new leadership amid challenging times for Gulf airlines. Tony Douglas is to join the Abu Dhabi carrier from the MoD’s procurement agency, where he was responsible for managing the acquisition and support of equipment and services for the British armed forces. His departure is a blow to the MoD as it embarks on one of the biggest equipment spending programmes in decades and launches a shake-up of naval shipbuilding. Douglas, who as former CE of the Abu Dhabi Airports Company and ex-head of Abu Dhabi Ports has overseen big infrastructure projects, was hired to introduce commercial discipline to big military programmes. Industry analysts expressed surprise at his departure and speculated that he may have become frustrated at obstacles to reform inside the highly bureaucratic MoD and DE&S. Douglas, who trained as an engineer, has previously held senior positions at airport operator BAA, where he managed Heathrow’s Terminal 5 project, and at Laing O’Rourke, where he was COO and chief executive designate. “He has guided the transformation of large organisations in the UAE and the UK,” said Mohamed Al Mazrouei, chairman of Etihad Aviation Group. Douglas is “keenly familiar with Etihad’s challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing industry”, he added.<br/>