UAE. Dubai Duty Free has received its 14th Superbrands Award for Excellence in Branding. A ceremony took place at the recent Superbrands UAE Tribute Event at the Inter-Continental-Dubai Festival City.
The award was presented by the Superbrands Council in the UAE, an offshoot of the Superbrands organisation, which consists of councils throughout the world. The UAE Council includes senior executives from leading companies in the emirates.
Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman & CEO Colm McLoughlin said: “We are delighted to receive our fourteenth Superbrands Award which is a remarkable achievement and I thank the council members and associates for voting for Dubai Duty Free. This award is essentially a well-deserved endorsement of our brand and organisation and reflects our efforts over the past 35 years.”
Present to receive the award from Mike English, Director of Superbrands Middle East, was Dubai Duty Free Senior Vice President for Marketing Sinead El Sibai.
Scotch whisky accolade
In other news, Dubai Duty Free Chief Operating Officer Ramesh Cidambi has been made a member of the ‘Keeper of the Quaich’ by the Scotch Whisky Society. The honour, which was first made in 1988 by the leading Scottish whisky distillers, recognises the contribution made by individuals in the promotion and sale of Scottish whisky worldwide.
Cidambi, who was accompanied by his wife Alpana, was among the new members inducted as Keepers of the Quaich at a ceremony held in Blair Castle in Perthshire, the ancient home of the Earls and Dukes of Atholl.
The proceedings for the ceremony were overseen Peter Gordon and Peter Prentice, Grand Master and Chairman, respectively, of the Keepers of the Quaich Society, and the induction took place in the presence of the Grand Quaich. His Grace the Duke of Argyll, Torquhil Campbell, a Patron of the Society and a keen supporter, was among the distinguished guests at the banquet, and which featured noted broadcaster Andrew Neil as the guest speaker for the evening.
Cidambi joins a long and illustrious list of fellow nominees over the years, which includes Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Colm McLoughlin, who was made Keeper of the Quaich in 2006 and in 2016 was inducted as Master of the Quaich, the highest honour to be received. Former Dubai Duty Free President George Horan was named Keeper of the Quaich in 2008.
Cidambi said: “Being made a Keeper of the Quaich is a great honour and I am delighted to be part of such an historic society that includes industry giants such as Colm McLoughlin, who has been in the duty free industry for 50 years this year. Also George Horan, our former President, who like Colm has worked closely with the Scottish whisky suppliers over many years and has built up the business. Scottish whisky currently accounts for 44% of our liquor sales and 89% of our whisky business.”
Fellow Dubai Duty Free inductees to the Keeper of the Quaich include Vice President – Purchasing Sharon Beecham, and Assistant Manager – Liquor and Tobacco Ajay Bhatia, who were inducted as members in 2012 and 2018 respectively.
