James Hogan reports directly to Etihad Airways chairman HH Dr Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saif Al Nahyan. However, it is the Australian-born former boss of Gulf Air who is the driving force behind the UAE flag carrier's emergence as one of the world's leading airlines.

When he joined Etihad in 2006, Hogan brought more than 30 years of travel industry expertise to the carrier. It has proved invaluable: Etihad experienced its strongest ever first half to a year between January and June this year.

The airline recorded strong growth in traffic during the period, with passenger numbers rising eleven percent from the same period in 2009 to reach almost 3.3 million. And seat occupancy factors increased from 71.5 percent to 72.5 percent, despite the disruption caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland in April and May.

Etihad also expanded its international network in the first half of the year with the launch of flights to Tokyo from Abu Dhabi, becoming the first Middle Eastern airline to operate a service to the Japanese capital.