Qatar Airways’ New CEO Officially Takes Over

On November 5th, Qatar Airways saw a ‘peaceful transition of power’ from outgoing CEO H.E. Akbar Al Baker to incoming lead Eng. Badr Al Meer. It was on October 23rd that the world unexpectedly learned that al Baker was leaving his position as head of the Qatar Airways Group.

From Qatar’s major airport to Qatar’s major airline (and more)

Now at the helm of the Qatar Airways Group is Eng. Badr Al Meer. For those unfamiliar with the prefix, ‘Eng.’ refers to engineer. Al Meer. Al Meer holds engineering degrees from the American University of Beirut and the University of Colorado. While the airline’s official statement includes this prefix, it is not used in some parts of the world (particularly when compared to a more common prefix like ‘Dr.’).

Photo: Qatar Airways

Al Meer’s background in engineering has given him a wealth of insight and expertise in large-scale project development. Indeed, the new airline group chief comes straight from serving as Chief Operating Officer of Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Interestingly enough, the airport itself is part of the Qatar Airways Group.

As the airport’s chief operations officer since 2014, Al Meer has had to oversee the operations of several divisions, including Qatar Company for Airports Operation and Management, Qatar Duty-Free, Qatar Aviation Services, Qatar Aviation Catering Company, Qatar Distribution Centre, Dhiafatina Hotels, and Qatar Airways Global Real Estate. Needless to say, Al Meer must already be quite familiar with a good portion of Qatar Airways’ operations.

An airline statement praised its new CEO for his recent achievements at Hamad International Airport, saying:

Big shoes to fill

Al Meer will be replacing His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker. It was on October 23rd that the airline announced that Al Baker would be stepping down as Group CEO after 27 years of service. Over this period, Al Baker would have worked closely with Al Meer. As the leader of the Qatar Airways Group, Al Baker was also responsible for a number of divisions, 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.

Photo: Qatar Airways

Al Meer spoke highly of his predecessor in a statement, saying:

At the time of this article’s publication, it remains unknown what comes next for Al Baker. Many labeled Al Baker’s ‘stepping down’ as ‘retirement.’ While 60 may be retirement age in some countries, this hasn’t stopped many individuals from continuing to work. Indeed, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, is now 66, while Gary Kelly, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, left his position at the carrier at 66.

What do you think comes next for Al Baker? And how do you think Al Meer will differ in leading the Qatar Airways Group compared to his predecessor? Let us know by leaving a comment!