Skip to content Skip to Search
Skip navigation

Qatar Airways CEO to step down after 27 years

By Pramod Kumar
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker has been a long-standing critic of suppliers of sustainable aviation fuel, labelling it as 'exorbitantly expensive' Reuters/Regis Duvignau
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker has been a long-standing critic of suppliers of sustainable aviation fuel, labelling it as 'exorbitantly expensive'

After nearly three decades at the helm of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker is stepping down from his position as group chief executive officer on November 5, 2023.

Badr Mohammed Al Meer will succeed him as group CEO for the Gulf state’s national airline, Qatar Airways confirmed in a statement.

The development comes after Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid Al Thani replaced Al Baker as the country’s top tourism official. It remains unclear whether Al Baker will be retiring from some of his other posts, including chief executive of Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free.

Having taken over as CEO in 1997, just three years after the airline’s inception, Al Baker has transformed Qatar Airways into a major international carrier, rivalling Dubai’s Emirates and other top regional airlines for over 27 years.

Despite flying more passengers during the Fifa World Cup, Qatar Airways Group reported in July a 21.4 percent year on year decrease in net profit to QAR4.4 billion ($1.21 billion) in the 2022-2023 period.

Al Baker has often blamed aircraft manufacturers, holding them responsible for impeding aircraft deliveries. He has described these delays as “really unnecessary” and said they could stifle the company’s growth.

He has been a long-standing critic of suppliers of sustainable aviation fuel, labelling it as “exorbitantly expensive” and claiming it’s only available in low volumes “because the cost to produce is too high”.

Latest articles

The new facility will include solar power with the potential capacity of up to 5GW

UAE plans $6bn solar energy storage plant

The UAE will construct a renewable facility capable of providing energy at scale around the clock. The project – estimated to cost $6 billion – will be developed in partnership between the UAE state-owned renewables company Masdar and the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec). The new facility will include solar power with the potential […]

Lebanon GCC aid

Slow restart predicted for GCC aid to Lebanon

A resumption of badly needed GCC financial aid to Lebanon may take time, even though most Gulf countries have given their blessing to the new Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, according to observers. The six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council were previously among the biggest aid donors and investors in Lebanon, before they cut assistance as […]

The new Saudi mining concessions cover sites that contain copper, zinc, gold, lead and other metals

Saudi Arabia grants exploratory rights to six mining sites

The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has allocated mineral exploration rights for six mining sites with a combined size of 890 sq km, according to the Saudi Press Agency. On Tuesday, the ministry announced that mining company Amak has been granted three exploratory concessions in Jabal al Khallah North (98 sq km) and […]

Mohammed Al Sudani, Iraq's prime minister, said that restructuring would begin in a few months

Iraq hires EY to explore restructuring of state banks

Iraq is considering merging its two largest state banks as part of a restructuring plan prompted by a sharp erosion of their assets over recent years because of accumulating non-performing loans, local media has reported. London-based auditing firm Ernst & Young (EY) is conducting a study on the restructuring of the Rafidain and Rasheed banks […]