Emirates Commercial Director resigns after airline profits drop

DUBAI (Reuters) – Emirates Commercial Director Thierry Antinori has resigned, a spokeswoman said Sunday, a few days after Gulf airline announced its lowest profit in a decade.

Antinori, also executive vice president, was responsible for business operations, products, the loyalty program and the freight division, according to the Emirates website.

The spokeswoman declined to comment when asked why Antinori had resigned and when it was effective.

Antinori spoke with the media on April 24 in Dubai as an officer of Emirates and was seen at Emirates booth during a travel exhibition in Dubai on April 29.

Adnan Kazim, senior vice president of the strategic planning, revenue optimization and aeronautical affairs division, has been named interim CCO, the spokeswoman said.

Emirates announced a 69% drop in annual profits last week, its lowest level in 10 years, as soaring fuel costs and the strong dollar weighed on profits, while growth in the number of passengers stagnated.

Antinori joined Emirates as Executive Vice President of Passenger Sales worldwide in October 2011 and was promoted to CCO in June 2013, says the Emirates website.

Antinori said in 2016 that he had been contacted to become the managing director of Air France-KLM, but that he remained loyal to the Dubai-based carrier.