I usually only cover airline management changes at the CEO level, unless there’s an interesting angle to it. Well, here’s one where there’s definitely a unique angle. I’m going to be very careful with what I say here, but I think this is a change that many at Etihad will have strong opinions about.
Etihad executive Arik De leaves airline suddenly
Etihad Chief Revenue & Commercial Officer Arik De has left the airline, effective immediately. Someone tipped me off on this earlier. I checked Etihad’s leadership page at the time, and his profile was still there, only to be removed a short while later.
In the meantime, De has taken to LinkedIn to confirm that he’s leaving:
Today, nearly 5 years later, a wonderful chapter of my life comes to an end. 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.
As I leave behind an airline fundamentally different in every aspect than the one I joined, more diverse on each and every leadership level, of course there are innumerable things to be proud of. However, the one that makes me most proud is the team I leave behind. The team who really deserve all the credit for where Etihad is today.
Finally, a big thank you to Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Without the platform this country provides, I could not have gone beyond borders of what was deemed possible. As I look forward to my next role, I will forever remain in debt.
His announcement mentions a bunch of names, though interestingly, the CEO isn’t someone he is thanking. It sure seems likely to me that he was let go, and that this was done with little notice, as no replacement has been announced for his role. Furthermore, as I understand it from some contacts, there were no clues of this being imminent, aside from at the very top.
De was appointed to the role of Chief Revenue Officer in December 2022, and then was promoted to Chief Revenue & Commercial Officer in December 2023. De previously worked at carriers including WestJet, Air Asia, Aeromexico, and TAP Air Portugal. He came to Etihad as part of the new ex-TAP Air Portugal management team, when current CEO Antonoaldo Neves was appointed to his role.
I certainly have some strong thoughts on this
As I said above, I’m trying to be careful about how I cover this. In May 2024, I wrote about how a former airline executive took to LinkedIn to accuse another airline executive of essentially creating an alter ego, “Ivander Sebastian,” to simply flatter himself. I won’t go over that here, but check out that post, as the whole situation is just super cringe.
I’ve never met De, or interacted with him, beyond one email exchange, which I found a little odd on one level (but that’s neither here nor there). However, I have to be honest, I can’t say I’ve heard very good things about the work culture he created at the airline. There’s no denying that he’s outwardly very charming and charismatic, and he always says the right things, publicly thanks staff, and seems like a team player.
But of course broadly speaking, there’s also often a difference between how people present themselves publicly, and how they really act, especially when they’re someone who thinks they’re always the smartest person in the room.
I am curious what the reason for his sudden departure is, though. Reading between the lines, it seems highly likely he was let go by the CEO, based on him not even mentioning the CEO in his announcement. As positive of a spin as he tries to put on the LinkedIn post, it doesn’t sound like something from someone who left voluntarily.
Etihad has certainly had an interesting several years. The airline has grown a lot, and based on listening to executives at the carrier, you’d think that they’re absolutely rolling in dough in terms of profitability. Even throughout the current war, the executives seem completely unfazed, which makes you wonder. I think there’s a little more here than meets the eye…
Bottom line
Etihad Chief Revenue & Commercial Officer Arik De has suddenly left the airline. Etihad has undergone quite the transformation in recent years, and De has been in charge of the carrier’s strategy. So to see him leave at a time that’s this challenging is a little unusual.
Everyone can decide for themselves what they make of this, but I think some people in Abu Dhabi will have some strong opinions here, so feel free to sound off in the comments. There are a lot of smart people working at Etihad, so I hope someone with a little less hubris is given an opportunity here…
What do you make of this Etihad executive change?
I exchanged messages with him briefly this afternoon after the news broke. He seems positive and optimistic, but to be fair, positive and optimistic have never been in short supply with Arik. I wish him well - he is definitely someone that will make things interesting wherever he winds up next.
Customer service still sucks.
Before and during his time.
The culture is always like that.
The penny pinching LC ME3.
New terminal is just lipstick.
A great airline only when nothing goes wrong even little things.
Ben, as you have one of the most read travel blogs, I hope Etihad reads this comment. With family in the Gulf region, I used to recommend Etihad as a passenger friendly airline. When Etihad adopted its draconian points expiration policy, it set a tone. And, my recommendations moved to other carriers.