Emirates Unveils Next Era Strategy

Emirates Sets Sights on Next Era

This week, over 850 Emirates commercial team members from around the world gathered in Dubai for the airline's Passenger Sales Conference 2024. The event, themed 'Next Era—Equip, Embrace, Excel,' marked the largest commercial gathering in the airline's history.

The Passenger Sales Conference serves as a platform for the airline's executive commercial leadership to engage, inspire, and embolden teams around their strategy and vision for the future. As it prepares for the next growth phase, Emirates is expanding its fleet, network, and products.

The packed programme of speakers representing the full spectrum of the airline’s business, aviation and tourism industry heavyweights and a dose of inspiration from motivational speakers and best-selling authors set the tone for an extraordinary four days. Recognising individual and team achievements across the commercial organisation, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, also presented the coveted Chairman Sales Award.  

Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates Airline, said: “We have big plans for Emirates, and the Passenger Sales Conference lays out the blueprint around how we will collectively activate commercial pathways and execute on the company’s strategic growth plans – through recalibrating our strategies, seizing emerging opportunities, developing new products, bolstering team dynamics and leveraging the latest technologies.”

He continued: “We’ve stood in the face of unexpected business challenges together and turned disruption to our advantage by moving nimbly towards every opportunity available to achieve outstanding results. And we’re only getting started. Our growth trajectory will accelerate in the coming years in line with Dubai’s D33 ambitions, and our teams are focused and committed to continue generating extraordinary value for the business.”

After a riveting employee townhall session presented by Sir Tim Clark, the first day of the conference was headlined by Adnan Kazim, who set the scene with his bold vision for the commercial organisation and how teams will collectively work to capitalise on every growth opportunity to maintain the airline’s competitive edge and global leadership. Other leaders in the business who provided updates across their areas included Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer; Michael Doersam, Chief Financial and Group Services Officer; and Oliver Grohmann, Executive Vice President of Human Resources.

Nabil Sultan, Executive Vice President of Passenger Sales and Country Management, started the second day by outlining the airline’s Passenger Sales Strategic Priorities, and afterwards, Adnan Kazim joined him on stage for an interactive Q&A session. Strategic discussions around the future of revenue management, loyalty and B2C sales were also at the forefront, and a fireside chat around the Emirates and Flydubai partnership with Adnan Kazim and Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of Flydubai rounded off the day.

On the third day, Boutros Boutros, Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Marketing, and Brand, took centre stage. He focused on the iconic Emirates brand and its importance in reaching and inspiring new audiences per the airline’s growth aspirations. Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects also provided an update on the master plans and construction progress of Al Maktoum International Airport.

Conference participants were also treated to keynotes from best-selling authors and motivational speakers, who discussed the dynamic connection between being physically, physiologically, and emotionally prepared for challenges, selling through stories, and the power of storytelling.

On the fourth and final day, the focus was on Dubai, with discussions about plans and initiatives to maintain the city's competitive edge and move closer to its goal of becoming one of the top three cities to live, work, and invest in (referred to as D33 ambitions). Helal Saeed Al Marri, the Director General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, spoke about the next phase of Dubai's growth. Hoor Al Khaja, Senior Vice President of International Operations at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, outlined strategic growth opportunities and potential synergies to attract more visitors to the city. This was followed by a high-level panel discussion featuring experts from Dubai's tourism and economic sectors.

In the past year, Emirates made record profits and revenue by expanding its operations worldwide to meet the high demand for air travel. Customers choose Emirates for its excellent onboard and on-ground experiences. To maintain its commitment to providing a better flying experience, Emirates plans to upgrade over 200 Airbus and Boeing 777 aircraft as part of its multi-billion-dollar investment. The airline has also added Bogota and Madagascar to its network last few months. It has introduced upgraded Airbus and Boeing 777 aircraft with improved cabins, including Premium Economy, to 18 cities.