Former Eithad executive and one-time Irish army officer Ray Gammell has joined Saudi Arabian start-up Riyadh Air as Chief Corporate Development and Enablement Officer. He will work alongside fellow Irishman Peter Bellew formerly of Ryanair and Malaysia Airlines, who is now Riyadh’s Chief Operating Officer.
From Greystones, County Wicklow Gammell graduated from the University College Dublin with a master’s degree and is a chartered officer at the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development. He has held executive positions for Intel in the US and Ireland, the Royal Bank of Scotland, and was an officer in the Irish Armed Forces. Gammell joined Etihad in 2009 as the Chief People and Performance Officer, responsible for developing the airline’s people strategy and performance-driven culture. In May 2017, he was named the Interim Group CEO of the Etihad Aviation Group, replacing the outgoing Chief Executive, James Hogan.
Backed by Saudi’s state Public Investment Fund, Riyadh Air aims to lure tourists to the Middle Eastern kingdom in a bid to replace what is likely to be flagging oil revenues by the end of the decade. In March, Riyadh said that it had ordered 39 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from the US manufacturer, with the option to buy a further 33. Riyadh Air is due to begin flying in two years’ time. The airline ultimately wants to serve 100 destinations, channelling millions of tourists to Saudi Arabia, adding $20 billion in non-oil revenue to its wealth to create 200,000 jobs. Riyadh Air will join Saudi Arabian flag carrier Saudia, as a second state-owned airline. DAA International, part of the State company that runs Cork and Dublin airports, manages operations, business development and other areas at Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Airport.
