Etihad Airways commercial chief Arik De exits after five-year stint, leaves key post vacant
Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De has tendered his resignation with immediate effect, bringing his nearly five-year stint at the Abu Dhabi-based airline to an end. During his tenure, De played a key role in shaping the carrier’s commercial strategy and overseeing its revenue growth.
De announced his departure through a LinkedIn post on October 8, 2026. Etihad has not released an official statement on his exit or announced a replacement. His profile, however, has been removed from the airline’s leadership page.
Reflecting on his time at the airline, De highlighted the scale of Etihad’s financial transformation and the growth in its revenue during his tenure.
“Today, nearly 5 years later, a wonderful chapter of my life comes to an end,” he wrote. “Proud to have been part of the great Etihad transformation – from an airline with 3B USD in revenue to nearly 10B USD, and a sustainable profit trajectory that allows for a bright future.”
De said the carrier had become “fundamentally different in every aspect” from the organisation he joined. He also pointed to greater diversity across its leadership ranks.
He attributed the airline’s progress to the people he worked with, describing his team as the achievement he was most proud of. According to De, the team deserves “all the credit for where Etihad is today”.
In his message, De acknowledged several colleagues who worked with him during his time at Etihad. He singled out Aysha Al Kaabi, whom he praised as a pioneer for Emirati women leaders.
He also thanked Jurriaan Stelder, Jennifer Murray, Mark Potter, Wei Jin, Adrià Rabassa Grabalosa and Javier Alija, who had worked alongside him for almost the entire duration of his tenure.
De additionally recognised Dani Ryan and Jyotsna Kaur Chowdhry, who joined the team more recently. He said they had proven to be “the right choice to lead the world’s fastest-growing airline”.
Notably, his farewell message did not refer to Etihad Group CEO Antonoaldo Neves, to whom he reported.
De also expressed gratitude to Abu Dhabi and the UAE for the opportunities the country had provided him.
“Without the platform this country provides, I could not have gone beyond the borders of what was deemed possible,” he wrote. “As I look forward to my next role, I will forever remain in debt.”
He did not disclose his next professional move.
Etihad faces vacancy in senior commercial leadership
De’s departure leaves a key commercial leadership position at Etihad vacant. Last month, he was still publicly discussing the airline’s new premium lounge concept, which is scheduled to begin its rollout in 2027.
He joined Etihad in April 2022 as Vice President of Revenue and Commerce, with responsibility for revenue management and e-commerce. In January 2023, the airline promoted him to the newly created position of Chief Revenue Officer, reporting directly to Neves.
At the time, Neves said De had made a substantial positive contribution to the airline’s revenue performance in his first nine months with the company.
In his role as Chief Revenue Officer, De was responsible for revenue management, distribution and e-commerce, network planning, alliances and joint ventures, aeropolitical and industry affairs, and the Etihad Guest loyalty programme.
His responsibilities widened further in December 2023, when he was promoted to Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer. The expanded role included oversight of the sales organisation, brand, marketing and sponsorship teams.
De held senior roles at global airlines before Etihad
Before joining Etihad, De held senior positions at WestJet, AirAsia and Aeroméxico. His most recent role before moving to the Abu Dhabi-based carrier was Chief Revenue and Network Officer at TAP Air Portugal.
He began his career in finance at the International Monetary Fund more than two decades ago. De also holds a master’s degree in finance and policy from the University of Chicago.
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