Ryanair lawyer takes top legal role at UAE airline

Jim Callaghan has taken up the role of general counsel and executive vice president of legal at the United Arab Emirates' national airline, and will be responsible for government affairs and legal departments.

He was previously director of legal and regulatory affairs as well as company secretary at Ryanair in Dublin. He had held the role as director of legal since 2000 and was appointed company secretary in 2003. He has a total of 17 years of legal experience including a spell with Linklaters in Brussels, while he also worked in Pittsburgh for US firms Balzarini Carey & Watson and Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.

Callaghan (pictured) joins Etihad Airways at the same time as Paul Gammell, the airline's new chief people and performance officer. Gammell joins from Royal Bank of Scotland, with both to report directly to chief executive James Hogan.

Hogan said: "Ray and Jim both have proven track records in their respective fields of expertise which will be crucial to the company's development and I look forward to welcoming them to Etihad.

"Jim has specialised in the aviation industry for the past nine years, and he will bring a wealth of experience to our multinational negotiations."

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