Dubai

JAMES Hogan will stand down as group chief executive officer of Etihad Airways as the Abu Dhabi-based company struggles with mounting losses from its investments in Air Berlin Plc and Alitalia SpA.

The 60-year-old Australian will leave in the second half as Etihad reviews its own operations and the future direction of Mr Hogan's so-called equity alliance, which has seen the Gulf carrier take minority stakes in a variety of smaller and often ailing airlines across Europe and the Asia-Pacific.