Exclusive: Middle East shake-up sees Drew and Halleux set to leave EY and QR

Martin Drew - Managing Director - Cargo and Logistics

13/06/2023

A set of major shake-ups in the Middle East is expected to see key executives quit carriers and airports.

Martin Drew, SVP global sales & cargo for Etihad (EY), (pictured) is set to leave the airline after 17 years – albeit with a brief break mid-way at Jet Airways.

Meanwhile, Guillaume Halleux, chief cargo officer for Qatar Airways (QR), is also thought to be leaving, according to local sources.

QR Cargo has recently seen an exodus of management in North America, with Ian Morgan, VP cargo for the Americas, leaving to join ECS just a month after his deputy, Andy Roberts, quit to join Air Canada.

While Etihad’s Mr Drew is believed to be leaving the carrier for personal reasons, a restructuring in Abu Dhabi last year appears to have provoked management changes at both Etihad and the country’s airport company.

Neither Etihad nor Qatar Airways was available for comment.

Steven Polmans, head of TIACA, and VP business development and freezone at Abu Dhabi Airports, is also leaving in two weeks, while a key passenger airport executive is also said to have quit.

The emirate last year conducted some changes to its aviation interests. Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, ADQ, was given full ownership of Etihad in October, although cargo, training and handling was moved into ADQ earlier last year. The move saw Etihad CEO Tony Douglas jump ship, to be replaced by former TAP boss Antonoaldo Neves.

The airports company, meanwhile, is thought to have changed its strategy and vision since Mr Polmans joined some 18 months ago.

When he leaves the airport at the end of June, he will develop a new company, also to be based in Abu Dhabi, called Air Cargo Experts, which will offer advisory services – and the execution of that advice – to air cargo companies.

Meanwhile, in Dubai, Hiran Perera, SVP freighters for Emirates and the last remaining member of the original Ram Menen management team, is said to be retiring from the carrier, where he has worked since 1999.