Etihad Cargo has made several key appointments of Emirati nationals in its commercial division.

According to Etihad, Bader Ahmed Al Ali has been appointed senior manager of commercial for the UAE home market. He will be responsible for key accounts, sales in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates, imports and counter sales at the cargo terminal in Abu Dhabi, as well as sales for specialized products in the UAE such as perishables, live animals and automobiles.

He will oversee other Emiratis taking up new roles within the UAE commercial team, including Raya Mohamed Ibrahim, manager of UAE key account), Hessa Al Shehhi, manager of government key accounts, and Aref Al Mulla, manager of Dubai and Northern Emirates sales.

Al Ali joined Etihad Cargo in 2010, having previously spent several years in the financial services sector in Abu Dhabi. He has held several posts within the carrier, most recently as manager of government key accounts and charters.

Etihad Cargo has also appointed Haleema Al Hosani appointed as senior manager of its global customer programme and cargo loyalty scheme.

She has been with the Etihad Aviation Group for over two years, serving within the government and international affairs division. Prior to this, she held several posts with the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, the Abu Dhabi Aviation Sector Development Committee and the International Civil Aviation Organization Air Transport Regulatory Panel.

“Today Etihad is proud to see these talented Emirati individuals take up leadership positions within Etihad Cargo,” said Abdulla Mohamed Shadid, managing director of cargo and logistics services at Etihad Aviation Group. “Since our inception 15 years ago, Etihad Cargo has grown rapidly to cement its place as a top 20 global air cargo carrier. Our global customer programme, our loyalty scheme and our UAE home market have all been key catalysts for this growth, and today’s key Emirati appointments are a further signal of our commitment to better serve these segments, while developing our top Emirati talents into key leadership positions.”

Etihad Cargo will be announcing further enhancements and updates to its global customer and loyalty programmes in the coming weeks.

“I would like to wish the team the best of luck in their new responsibilities,” said Shadid. “With the full backing and support of the senior leadership at the Etihad Aviation Group, we are confident that they will fulfill our ambition to better serve our local and global cargo customers, and further demonstrate that the air cargo industry is an ideal platform for nurturing Emirati talent.”