[6] In July 2018, Etihad CEO Tony Douglas took over responsibility for the airline's main business, promoting former chief Peter Baumgartner to the position of special advisor.
[12] Baumgartner stated that in May 2017, the partnership with the Special Olympics was a step forward for Etihad Avitation Group's social activities program.
[16][17] In April 2018, in his opening remarks at AVSEC World Baumgartner revealed that the airline was proud to have a pre-clearance facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
[21] In July 2020, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), lifted UEFA's 2018 Manchester City ban from the Champions League[22] for violation of its financial fair play rules and judging that City's Abu Dhabi ownership had unfairly sponsored the club by channeling money through the state's commercial companies passing them on as independent sponsorship.
[23] However according to Spiegel, there were doubts about the CAS verdict as it emerged that in December 2013 City director Simon Pearce had sent an email to Baumgartner, with the subject "Payments".