Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has appointed Cramer Ball as Chief Executive Officer, with effect from February 1, 2012 under the management contract that it has with Etihad Airways, its new strategic partner.

It was joint announcement by Minister Joel Morgan, the Minister responsible for Transport in the Government of Seychelles, and James Hogan,, Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Minister stated that the President of Seychelles, President James Michel has welcomed the arrival of a strong management team from Etihad to orient Air Seychelles on a robust and secure footing, in order to position it for future development to serve Seychelles’ tourism industry internationally.

Cramer Ball, who was formerly Etihad Airways Regional General Manager Asia Pacific South and Australasia, has been seconded to the Seychelles national carrier as part of the restructuring for Air Seychelles which will be implemented jointly with Etihad Airways.

With a wealth of broad-based industry experience, which encompasses both commercial and financial areas of the business, Ball is a highly respected aviation professional.

Before joining Etihad Airways, in a career spanning two decades, he held senior management positions at Gulf Air, Qantas, Kendell Airlines and Ansett Australia/Air New Zealand.

Commenting on his new role, Air Seychelles Chief Executive Officer, Ball said: “This is a very exciting point in the development of the airline. The recently announced strategic partnership with Etihad Airways, backed by the 40 per cent stake the UAE national carrier has taken, will allow us to consolidate our position as a brand leader on the routes we serve.

“Air Seychelles will work closely with Etihad Airways to leverage synergies and create efficiencies that will reduce costs and maximise yields. We will also look to implement strategies that will benefit the economy and support the tourism industry of the Seychelles as a whole.” 

Shelley Cole has also been seconded to Air Seychelles to take on the position of Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Prior to joining Air Seychelles, Cole, who is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, was Etihad Airways Regional Finance Manager Asia Pacific, and has also held positions at Shell International Ltd in London and Caltex in Sydney.

Source:  Etihad Airways