Oman Air has appointed Wayne Pearce as the new Chief Executive Officer of the airline with effect from January 3.

Announcing the appointment, Oman Air Chairman Darwish Bin Ismail Bin Ali Al Bulushi said: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am 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, who replaces Peter Hill, has held several senior executive positions in Qantas and other airlines in the region. Pearce was also the Group Managing Director with Gold Medal Travel in the UK, which has a special focus on the Gulf Region.

Oman Air has expanded its network of destinations, increased the size of its fleet and focused on delivering an excellent passenger experience over the past two years, a company statement said.

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 the “Best Business Class Seat in the world”.

Oman Air’s fleet currently consists of 4 Airbus A330-200s, 3 Airbus A330-300s, 15 Boeing 737-700s/800s, 2 Embraer E175s and 2 ATR 42s.

Two further Embraer E175s are on order, with an option of a further five.

Oman Air has also confirmed an order for 6 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are scheduled for delivery in 2015.