Iain Burns, the energetic former BA press office boss, has joined Etihad, the national airline of the UAE, as its new head of corporate communications. Burns, a very experienced PR professional, seemed to be the fall guy (together with his boss Martin George, commercial director) following a spat with Virgin Atlantic over fuel price levies by both airlines.
Iain knows the Gulf area and its airlines well having joined BA in September 2001 from the public relations consultancy Bell Pottinger, where he handled European and North American PR programmes for Dubai-based Emirates. Prior to that lain was PR Manager for American Airlines in the UK, and he held similar positions at both BM Heathrow and Manchester airports.
”This is an exciting time to join Etihad which has come a long way in a short period of time and has great plans for the future. I am very much looking forward to playing my part in articulating the airline's formidable strategy to a growing audience around the globe,” he said.
It is anticipated Iain will take up his new role in January 2007.