James Hogan named CAPA Aviation Executive of the Year 2012

Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer, James Hogan, was named CAPA Aviation Executive of the Year 2012 at the Centre for Aviation's global awards for excellence and leadership, presented in Hong Kong last night.

The CAPA Aviation Executive of the Year is awarded to the executive who has had the greatest individual influence on the aviation industry, demonstrating outstanding strategic thinking and innovative direction for the growth of the business and the industry.

CAPA executive chairman, Peter Harbison, said: “The Gulf carriers have progressively disturbed the global airline equilibrium over recent years, and 2012 has seen a rapid escalation of this process. None has been more distinctive and mould-changing than Etihad Airways under the leadership of James Hogan.

“The strategy James has adopted – of penetrating each of the key regions with targeted partnerships and equity investments – has set a new, and irreversible, direction for the global airline industry.”

James Hogan said: “This award is a powerful endorsement of the airline’s ‘game-changing’ strategy of building strong bilateral partnerships with airlines the world over.

“Partnerships and equity investments have been, and continue to be, key to achieving scale and strengthening our competitive position.

“Our codeshares, for example, with 41 partner airlines expand our network of destinations to 327 major cities – more than any other Middle Eastern carrier.

“The result is a winning customer proposition, a constant and growing revenue stream, and continuing progress toward our goal of sustainable profitability.”