Vijay Poonoosamy, former VP surprisingly called it quit for Etihad Airways on December 8 and left the national carrier of the UAE, Etihad Airways on December 10, 2017
Vijay went back to his home country Mauritius. This happened in the midst of a corporate shakeup. Vijay was part of the inner team with former Etihad CEO James Hogan, who also had to leave Etihad. This was all in response to major losses and problems that are still ongoing and are related to Etihad’s involvement and investments in Air Berlin, Alitalia, and Air Seychelles.
Surprisingly the former VP for Etihad Aviation Group just moved to Singapore to join the QI Group as Director International and Public Affairs. He moved from Mauritius to Singapore with his family.
In an email, he stated: Thirteen great years with the Etihad Aviation Group in Abu Dhabi I have accepting-a standing offer to join the QI Group as Director International and Public Affairs. My family and I have just moved to Singapore.
I remain the President of the Montreal-based Hermes Air Transport Organization, whose members are recognized global aviation leaders, and a member of the Advisory Board of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne” said Vijay Poonoosamy in a note to friends.
Vijay Poonoosamy, a national of Mauritius, is a barrister (Middle Temple) with a law degree from the University of Nottingham, a Masters degree in International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Post Graduate Diploma in Air & Space Law from the London Institute of World Affairs and a Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.
Vijay was an Aviation Lawyer in London, the Managing Director of Air Mauritius, the Executive Chairman of Airports of Mauritius and the Vice President International Affairs of the Etihad Aviation Group (until 31 December 2017). Vijay was Chairman of the 1994 ICAO World-wide Air Transport Conference, ICAO Rapporteur and Chairman of the 1999 ICAO Special Group on the Modernisation of the Warsaw Convention, Vice Chairman of the 2009 ICAO Special Committee on Aviation Security Conventions and Moderator at the April 2012 ICAO Air Transport Symposium, the March 2013 ICAO Pre-Air Transport Conference Symposium, the March 2015 ICAO Meeting on the sustainable development of Air transport in Africa and ICAO’s ICAN Symposia of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014. Vijay was also Chairman of the Air Transport Committee of the African Civil Aviation Commission, Chair of IATA’s Industry Affairs Committee, Chair of the IATA Legal Advisory Council and Chair of the IATA Task Force on International Aviation Issues.
The QI Group of Companies is a diversified multinational entity catering to varied businesses that include education, hospitality, direct selling, financial services and retail.
They employ more than 1500 people across 30 countries, with key regional offices in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. As a group, their focus is on enabling people to rise through solutions that power entrepreneurship, enhance urban lifestyles and reform the education sector. They are constantly evolving as a group and are expanding through tactical investments in global markets, creating high-quality interrelated ventures, products and services worldwide.
