Oman Air has announced the appointment of Wayne Pearce as its new chief executive.

Pearce joins Oman Air after holding several senior executive positions in Qantas, and other airlines in the region.

Announcing the appointment, Oman Air’s chairman, Darwish Bin Ismail Bin Ali Al Bulushi, said: “On behalf of the board, I am extremely pleased to welcome Wayne Pearce to Oman Air.

“We are confident that his experience and expertise will enable the airline to reach even greater heights of excellence and confirm it as one of the leading airlines in the region and beyond.

Pearce was also the group managing director with Gold Medal Travel in the UK, which has a special focus on the Gulf Region.

He commented: “I look forward to helping the company both prosper and grow, as well as playing a strong role in the development of Oman’s travel and tourism industry.

“Oman Air has achieved enormous progress in recent years and has emerged as one of the world’s leading luxury airlines.

“It will be a pleasure to work with Oman Air’s Board of Directors and the talented and committed staff of the company to build on that position and ensure that Oman Air is recognised as the world-class carrier of choice for travel to and from Oman.”

Oman Air’s fleet currently consists of four Airbus A330-200s, three Airbus A330-300s, 15 Boeing 737-700s/800s, two Embraer E175s and two ATR 42s.

Two further Embraer E175s are on order, with an option of a further five, and Oman Air has confirmed an order for six Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are scheduled for delivery in 2015.

“It is worth mentioning that over the last two years, Oman Air has expanded its network of destinations, increased the size of its fleet and focused on delivering an excellent passenger experience,” added Pearce.

“Over the same period, it has attracted numerous awards, for its service excellence and its pioneering introduction of in-flight mobile phone and wi-fi connectivity.

“Oman Air’s Business Class seat has been voted Best Business Class Seat in the world”.