Ghaith Al Ghaith
CEO, flydubai
As CEO of Dubai-based airline flydubai, Ghaith Al Ghaith has had to steer the budget carrier through some tough challenges during the pandemic. In 2020, the airline saw a loss of $194m and the grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. In 2021, the airline swung to a profit of $229m, and also nearly doubled its revenue to over $1.4bn, compared to just $773m in 2020. Ghaith attributes this to the airline’s decision to launch flights to seasonal summer destinations and the increase in its flight schedule. The airline will also receive delivery of 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8s to support the airline’s future growth. Ghaith, who has over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry, is confident of the carrier’s continuing success with the return of demand for travel globally.