Etihad commercial chief Arik De announces departure

Arik De, Etihad Airways' commercial chief, is leaving the airline after nearly five years in the job. He announced the move in a message on LinkedIn, pointing to the changes the Abu Dhabi carrier has gone through during his time there.

Revenue climbed from about three billion dollars a year to nearly ten billion, according to his account, and the airline moved onto a path of sustained profitability. De singled out the development of a more diverse management team and thanked the carrier's staff.

His next step, he said, will be a new professional role. He gave no details.