Akbar Al Baker (Arabic: أكبر الباکر; born 1962) is the Group CEO of Qatar Airways and Secretary-General of Qatar Tourism.[1] Al-Baker also served as one of the lead developers for Hamad International Airport, which opened in 2014. In May 2021, Al-Baker was appointed as chairman of Oneworld.[2]
Akbar Al Baker | |
|---|---|
 Akbar Al Baker in 2009 | |
| Born | 1962 (age 61–62) Doha, Qatar |
| Nationality | Qatari |
| Education | Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics |
| Occupation(s) | Chairman of Oneworld and CEO of Qatar Airways |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Website | www |
Biography
Al-Baker was born in Doha, Qatar. As a child, he studied at St. Peter's School, Panchgani, a boarding school, in the Panchgani hills in Maharashtra, India. He later moved to Mumbai and graduated from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics. He holds a private pilot license.[3][4]
Al-Baker became Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways in 1997. Prior to this appointment, he worked at the Civil Aviation Directorate of Qatar.[5] He is also the former Chairman of the Qatar Tourism Authority. He is CEO of several divisions of Qatar's national airline, including Qatar Executive, Qatar Airways Holidays, Qatar Aviation Services, Qatar Duty Free Company, Doha International Airport, Internal Media Services, Qatar Distribution Company and Qatar Aircraft Catering Company.[6]
Al-Baker led the development of Hamad International Airport, which opened its first phase in May 2014 and is now home to Qatar Airways. As of 2017 the airport services all inbound and outbound flights out of Doha.[7]
In June 2019, Al Baker announced that Qatar Airways would be buying a stake in a sixth overseas airline before the end of the year. The company has not yet been named, but would join the airlines interests on the International Airlines Group, LATAM Airlines Group, Cathay Pacific, and China Southern Airlines Co.[8]
Al-Baker is a member of the Executive Committee of the Arab Air Carriers Organization, a member of the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association, and a non-executive director of Heathrow Airport Holdings.
In May 2021, Al-Baker was appointed to the role of Governing Board Chairman of the Oneworld alliance.[9]
Al-Baker's mother is from India.[citation needed]
Controversies
In May 2016, The Daily Telegraph reported that Al Baker said backpackers were not welcome in Qatar because they “are just there to lie on the beach and spend as little as possible” and the country wanted to “attract people of higher standard”.[10]
In July 2017, in a speech at a dinner in Ireland, Al Baker said US airlines were "crap" and their passengers were "always being served by grandmothers". He stated that the average age of Qatar airways cabin crew was 26. He later said that his remarks might not reflect his "true sentiments about cabin crew".[11]
On June 5, 2018, speaking at a press conference following his election to chairman of the International Air Transport Association at the association's annual meeting in Sydney, Australia, he told reporters that, regarding Qatar Airways' management, “Of course it has to be led by a man because it is a very challenging position.”[12][13] Although Al-Baker later apologized, he stopped short of recanting his belief that being CEO of an international airline is too challenging a job for a woman. He claimed he was attempting to make a joke at the time.[14]
Again in 2018, he made sexist remarks. He stated that women cannot do his job. [15]
In 2019, Al-Baker alleged that Changi Airport's Jewel was a copy of previously announced expansion plans for Hamad International Airport. Al-Baker was quoted as saying: "When I show you the images later (of the planned enhancements), you will realize that somebody copied our design, which was already on the table nearly six years ago... We had individuals from that country, I will not name it, that took our design and did it." Changi Airport Group's chief executive, Lee Seow Hiang, however, has rebutted the allegation, telling The Straits Times: "We value the originality and creativity of ideas as we innovate to elevate the Changi experience for all our visitors. We respect intellectual property rights and expect the same of all our partners."[16]
External links
References
- ^ CEO' message on Qatar Airways website retrieved 24 February 2014
- ^ "oneworld names Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker as Governing Board Chairman". oneworld. 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Akbar Al Baker: Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways". APEX | Airline Passenger Experience. 2016-12-14. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
- ^ "Akbar al Baker".
- ^ Craven, Alistair (June 2006). An Interview with Mr. Akbar Al Baker. Vol. 22. p. 25. doi:10.1108/02580540610665499. ISBN 978-1-84663-012-5.
{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help) - ^ "Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways: Profile and Biography". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Hamad International Airport Climbs to Sixth Best Airport in the World at the 2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards | Hamad International Airport". dohahamadairport.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
- ^ Johnson, Guy; Jasper, Christopher (June 17, 2019). "Qatar Air closing in on new airline stake". Retrieved August 6, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Qatar Airways CEO Named As oneworld Governing Board Chairman". Gulf News. 2021-05-21. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "Airline CEO's backpacker clanger". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
- ^ "Qatar Airways CEO sorry for hostesses jibe". BBC News. 2017-07-13.
- ^ "Qatar Air Boss Apologizes for Saying CEO Job Must Be Held by a Man". Bloomberg.com. 2018-06-05. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
- ^ Liakos, Ivana Kottasová and Chris. "Qatar Airways CEO apologizes after sexist remark". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
- ^ "Qatar Airways CEO Apologizes For Saying His Job Must Be Held By A Man". Fortune. Archived from the original on 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
- ^ https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/qatar-airways-ceo-booed-after-saying-a-woman-couldnt-run-his-airline/news-story/162de2464384025d322a825ae7357f9d
- ^ Lin, Jessica. "Qatar Airways CEO claims Singapore copied Doha airport: 'Without having to go to anybody's Jewel, you can sustain yourself in the jewel of my country', Business Insider - Business Insider Singapore". www.businessinsider.sg. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-01-28.