TOP 50 TRAVEL & TOURISM LEADERS

1. Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum Chairman and Chief Executive Company: The Emirates Group Country: U.A.E. Nationality: Emirati Sector: Aviation

Al Maktoum became the chairman of Emirates Airlines in 1985. Today, he has over 35 years of experience and oversees more than 75,145 employees. The Emirates Group recorded revenues of $6.7 billion in the first half of the 2021/22 financial year. As of March 2021, the airline was flying to 157 destinations around the world and operating a fleet of 259 aircraft. Al Maktoum is also the chairman of the boards for the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, Dubai Airports, Emirates NBD, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, the Alliance Insurance Company, and the Dubai Supreme Council for Energy.

2. Akbar Al Baker Group CEO and Executive Board Member Company: Qatar Airways Group

Country: Qatar Nationality: Qatari

Sector: Aviation

Al Baker has been the CEO of Qatar Airways since 1997. The company recorded assets of $38.9 billion and revenues of $8.1 billion for the 2021 fiscal year, which ended March 2021. It has 36,707 employees and a fleet of 234 aircraft. In early 2022, the company announced a deal with Boeing worth over $27 billion in orders for its 777X freighter and 737-10 passenger aircraft. Al Baker has a private pilot’s license and is also the chairman of Qatar Tourism. He was also appointed chairman of the Oneworld airline alliance’s governing board in May 2021.

3. Paul Griffiths CEO Company: Dubai Airports Country: U.A.E. Nationality: British Sector: Aviation

Griffiths has been overseeing Dubai International Airport (DXB) since October 2007 and Dubai World Central (DWC) since 2010. DXB welcomed 29.1 million passengers in 2021 and handled 2.3 million tonnes of cargo. DXB supports over 84 airlines and 198 destinations worldwide. Before joining Dubai Airports, Griffiths was a board member for Virgin Travel Group for 14 years. He was previously the managing director of Gatwick Airport in London for more than three years.

5. Faisal Al Thani Chairman Company: Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company (ARTIC) Country: Qatar Nationality: Qatari Sector: Hotels & Hospitality

Al Thani established ARTIC in 2003 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Al Faisal Holding to manage the hospitality interests of its parent group. The company has 29 hotels in MENA, Europe, and North America, including St. Regis Washington D.C., the W Miami Hotel, and the W London Hotel. Al Thani had a net worth of $1.9 billion as of February 24, 2022.

4. Ibrahim Koshy CEO Company: SAUDIA Country: Saudi Arabia Nationality: Saudi Sector: Aviation

Saudi Airlines has a fleet of 144 aircraft. It aims to be flying to 200 destinations by 2030, compared to 90 in 2019, and increase passenger capacity to 85 million in 2030, compared to 35 million in 2019. Koshy has 30 years of experience in the aviation industry and also serves as a board member for regional and international aviation safety bodies.

6. Tony Douglas Group CEO Company: Etihad Aviation Group Country: U.A.E. Nationality: British Sector: Aviation

Douglas was appointed CEO of the Etihad Aviation Group in January 2018. The U.A.E.’s national carrier has 64 operating aircraft and carried a million passengers in the first half of 2021. In October 2021, Etihad Airways announced that it had raised $1.2 billion through a sustainability-linked loan. Douglas has over 20 years of experience. Previously, he served as CEO of the Defence Equipment and Support Department at the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense, and as CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports and Abu Dhabi Ports Company.

7. Jerry Inzerillo Group CEO Company: Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) Country: Saudi Arabia Nationality: American Sector: Tourism

Inzerillo was appointed to his current role in 2018, leading a $50.6 billion development project. In December 2021, DGDA announced 14 global hotel brands that will be opened in Diriyah, out of a planned 38. These include Address Hotels & Resorts, the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Ritz-Carlton, Raffles, the Rosewood Hotel Group, and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. Inzerillo is also the vice chairman of the Forbes Travel Guide, having previously been its CEO for four years. He has nearly 50 years of industry experience and has worked with brands including One&Only Resorts, Ian Schrager Hotels, Four Seasons, and Hilton.

8. Hesham Al Qassim CEO Company: wasl Asset Management Group Country: U.A.E. Nationality: Emirati Sector: Hotels & Hospitality

Founded by the Dubai Real Estate Corporation, wasl Asset Management Group holds wasl properties, wasl hospitality & leisure, and Dubai Golf as its subsidiaries. It owns and manages over 31 hotels and serviced apartments as well as five golf and yacht clubs through Dubai Golf. wasl hospitality & leisure has partnerships with Mandarin Oriental, the Hyatt Group, the Marriott Group, the Hilton Group, and Dusit Thani. Al Qassim also chairs Emirates Islamic Bank and is vice chairman and managing director of Emirates NBD. He sits on the boards of Etisalat, International Humanitarian City, and DIFC.

9. John Pagano CEO Company: Red Sea Development Company Country: Saudi Arabia Nationality: Canadian Sector: Tourism

John Pagano joined the Red Sea Development as CEO in January 2018. The project is being developed over 28,000 square kilometers along Saudi Arabia’s west coast and includes an archipelago of more than 90 islands. The first phase of development is due for completion by the end of 2023, with a total of 16 hotels set to offer 3,000 hotel rooms across five islands and two inland sites. Over 700 contracts have been signed to date, worth over $5 billion. Before joining TRSDC, Pagano headed his own company, Old Fort Capital Investments Ltd, which offered advice and services to the real estate sector.

10. Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Founding Chairman Company: Al Habtoor Group Country: U.A.E. Nationality: Emirati Sector: Hotels & Hospitality

Al Habtoor established the Al Habtoor Company in 1970 and founded Habtoor Hospitality in 1979. The company—also known as Habtoor Hotels—has a partnership with both Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International. It has over 2,844 rooms in the Middle East across the Habtoor Grand Resort, Metropolitan Hotel Dubai, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Habtoor Palace Dubai, V Hotel Dubai (A Curio Collection by Hilton), Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, and the Al Habtoor Polo Resort.

11. Mohammed Almowkley CEO Company: Matarat Holding Country: Saudi Arabia Nationality: Saudi Sector: Aviation

Owned by Saudi’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, Matarat Holding was established in 2013 to develop and transform Saudi’s airports. With over 24 years of experience in strategic transformation, chemical engineer Almowkley was appointed to his role as CEO in January 2022. He was previously the CEO of Saudi’s National Water Company. In 2020, Almowkley was awarded a Best Director General Prize for a government department or institution by the Arab Government Excellence Award.

12. Amr Abuelenein Chairman and CEO Company: EGYPTAIR Holding Company Country: Egypt Nationality: Egyptian Sector: Aviation

EGYPTAIR Holding Company has eight subsidiaries and over 29,000 employees. In 2021, EGYPTAIR signed an agreement with OEMServices for spare parts units for its fleet, and the EGYPTAIR Training Academy signed a training contract with Mazaya Consulting, Training, and Aviation Sciences Company.

13. Guy Hutchinson President and CEO Company: Rotana Hotel Management Corporation (Rotana) Country: U.A.E. Nationality: British Sector: Hotels & Hospitality

Hutchinson was appointed to his current role in 2020. He has 32 years of experience and today leads 12,000 employees. The company has over 68 properties across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. In 2021, it announced that it was extending its footprint in Egypt by signing a management agreement with Al Marasem Development and Marina Way Lagoon. The company has 46 upcoming projects, including 10 that will deliver more than 3,000 keys to the market across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the U.A.E., and Turkey.

14. José Silva CEO Company: Jumeirah Group Country: U.A.E. Nationality: Portuguese Sector: Hotels & Hospitality

With more than 35 years of experience, Silva has been working as the CEO of the Jumeirah Group since March 2018. The group operates nearly 7,000 keys in nine countries with more than 10,000 employees. The Burj Al Arab is the most well-known of the group’s 25 properties. The Jumeirah Group added Jumeirah Maldives to its portfolio in 2021. It plans to also expand to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Bali.

15. Shareef Al Hashmi CEO Company: Abu Dhabi Airports Country: U.A.E. Nationality: Emirati Sector: Aviation

Al Hashmi has been in his current role since 2020. Abu Dhabi International Airport supports 103 destinations and welcomed 5.26 million passengers in 2021. It is currently building a midfield terminal building that will increase Abu Dhabi Airport’s overall capacity from 23 million passengers per year to 45 million. Al Hashmi has more than 20 years of aviation experience and has previously held roles at the Tawazun Economic Council, Presidential Flight, and Royal Jet.

CEO Middle East & Africa, India, Pakistan, and Turkey

Company: Accor Group

Country: U.A.E.

Nationality: British

Sector: Hotels & Hospitality

Willis joined the Accor Group in September 2018. The company runs over 405 hotels and 87,900 rooms in the Middle East, Africa, and India, with brands including Fairmont, Orient Express, Raffles, Mantis, Movenpick, Peppers, and Hyde. It recorded $929.3 million in global revenues in the first half of 2021. Willis was previously president of Asia for Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, which was acquired by the Accor Group in 2018. He has 30 years of global and regional experience leading hospitality companies.