Emirates Airline has announced new appointments within its leadership team for commercial operations, as part of its preparations to expand its network and modernize its fleet and products, gearing up for a new phase of growth.
The new organizational structure includes positions such as Senior Vice President for Passenger Sales Development across the network and Vice President for Regional Passenger Sales. These roles are aimed at supporting the airline’s regional expansion plans, enhancing its market presence, and fostering performance integration across various regions and segments, while also strengthening institutional relationships to achieve sustainable growth in passenger numbers, market share, and revenue.
As part of the new commercial operations leadership structure, two Emirati professionals have been appointed to lead key market groups. These strategic appointments demonstrate the airline’s ongoing commitment to developing local talent and preparing a new generation of leaders in the aviation sector.
Key Phase
Adnan Kazim, Vice President and Chief Executive of Commercial Operations at Emirates, stated: “Emirates is currently undergoing a pivotal strategic phase, during which we are enhancing our global presence by expanding our network and refining our products while engaging more with diverse markets and customer bases. This accelerated growth requires leadership with the expertise and commercial vision capable of anticipating changes and capitalizing on opportunities in a highly competitive and evolving environment, thus solidifying our position as the first choice for travelers worldwide.”
He added, “I take great pride in having recognized Emirati talents known for their competence and leadership excellence to take on two of the new leadership positions, reaffirming our commitment to building a strong foundation of local talent to guide our future journey.”
Passenger Sales
Matthew Scott will lead the Passenger Sales Development team as Senior Vice President for Passenger Sales Development across the network, overseeing global and leisure sales teams. Matthew previously held the position of Vice President for Pricing and Interline Partnerships at Emirates SkyCargo. He started his career at Emirates in 2018 with Emirates SkyCargo and has over 20 years of experience in international airlines focusing on commercial operations, revenue optimization, and strategy.
Abdullah Al Ulama has been appointed Vice President for Regional Groups in the Middle East and North Africa, after serving as Senior Regional Manager for Commercial Operations in the Far East, where he managed commercial performance in the region. Abdullah joined Emirates in 2012 and has worked in various commercial teams, including interline partnerships and revenue optimization.
Extensive Experience
Rashed Al Arda will become Vice President for Regional Groups in Sub-Saharan Africa, previously holding the position of Emirates Manager in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Rashed joined Emirates in 2009 and has gained extensive experience managing markets across eight countries in the Middle East, Africa, Far East, West Asia, and the Indian Ocean.
Flavio Guerinchelli will take on the role of Vice President for Regional Groups in Southern and Central Europe. Flavio joined Emirates in 2018 as the Country Manager for Italy and possesses significant leadership experience in corporate sales, commercial strategy, and business development within the aviation, hospitality, and tourism sectors.
Pierfrancesco Carino will join Emirates later this month as Vice President for Regional Groups in Western and Northern Europe. He has 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, multichannel distribution, revenue management, strategic partnerships, and previously worked in the Emirates commercial sales team in France.
Nabil Sultan, Executive Vice President for Passenger Sales and International Management at Emirates, is set to lead this new structure and oversee the teams involved in commercial expansion.