UAE. Mohamed Mounib (pictured left) has resigned as Commercial Director of Abu Dhabi Airports Company and Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Duty Free and Catering. He will take up the role of CEO at Pearl Azure Hotel Management & Property Company on 1 August.
A household name in the Middle East and worldwide travel retail business, Mounib spent 23 years as Abu Dhabi Duty Free Managing Director. In that time he has overseen and nurtured the development of the Abu Dhabi International Airport duty free business from a fledgling enterprise of five shops into one of the most dynamic and fastest growing travel retail operations in the world.
A statement from Abu Dhabi Duty Free said: “A multiple-award winning duty free operation under his stewardship, Mounib leaves both ADAC and ADDF in fine health having cemented ADDF’s position as the second largest operation by turnover, and highest average spend per customer, of any travel retailer in the region.”
| Farewell to ‘Big Mo’ |
| ”The word “˜dignified’ appeared in almost every note we received and that word, indeed, sums him up best“ |
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In tendering his resignation, Mounib said: “After 23 years as Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Airport Duty Free and Catering, I have decided the time has come to take up a new venture. The privatisation programme at the airport started early last year and I have been heavily involved in this process in terms of implementation, transition and transforming of the airport’s operations during this period.
“Since January 2007, as Commercial Director of the newly formed Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), I have worked to identify the future business model and the way forward for Abu Dhabi International Airport. With this phase almost completed, and with new divisions being established as individual entities, I believe the time has come for me to seek new horizons.”
He added: “Returning to my professional roots, as of 1 August 2007, I will be heading up the newly established company Pearl Azure Hotel Management and Property Company as Chief Executive Officer. Pearl Azure has recently acquired three 5-star hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and early next year will launch its first hotel to be managed by the new brand.
“While I am leaving, I do so in the knowledge that I leave behind a very strong team in place, namely: Niveen Ibrahim, GM (General Manager) of Abu Dhabi Duty Free; Paul Haines, GM Catering; Ayman Mashour GM Hospitality Services; S. Hamid, GM Support Services; and Peter Hoslin, Head of Aviation Marketing.
“I am confident that this remarkable team will continue to successfully lead their departments at the airport during this exciting new era. I have enjoyed working in the Abu Dhabi International Airport having been supported by such a fantastic team.
Mounib also paid tribute to H.E. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak who, as Chairman of Abu Dhabi Civil Aviation, “laid the foundations for our award-winning and globally recognised airport.”
Mounib said: “I was then privileged to work with his successor, H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, and more recently H.E. Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Chairman of ADAC.”
Moounib concluded: “Working in such a diversified industry I have been fortunate to work with and meet many people from numerous different walks of life. Attending exhibitions, conferences and many meetings has given me a chance to make new acquaintances and to meet up with old friends – each encounter adding something to my life either professionally or personally and I thank you all.”
COMMENT
What a fantastic servant Mohamed Mounib has been to the duty free industry, writes Martin Moodie. For 23 years he has driven one of its great success stories, leading with a hands-on, passionate and intelligent management style and a deep commitment to his organisation, his consumers and the business at large.
He has also done it with immense integrity. Mohamed Mounib is one of the true gentlemen of the business, a man of great stature in every sense. He served well and wisely as President of the Middle East Duty Free Association and has contributed immensely to the success of both Abu Dhabi International Airport and Abu Dhabi Duty Free as well as the tremendous emergence of the Middle East travel retail channel in the recent past.
In The Moodie Report’s view, he is one of the industry’s truly influential figures of the past two decades. His departure marks the passing of an era and a serious loss to the business. Everyone who knows him will join us in wishing him well for his new challenge but, like us, will be saddened by his absence.
PEER GROUP TRIBUTES
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Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director Dubai Duty Free: “I am sad that Mohamed Mounib has decided to leave the duty free industry. He has been a stalwart of the Middle East duty free sector for so many years. This was evident not only in his role at Abu Dhabi International Airport but also in his involvement with MEDFA, including his two years as President.
“He headed the team which brought Abu Dhabi Duty Free from nowhere to a very prominent operator, achieving many successes and several awards along the way. I have always admired his dignified determination and have learned a lot from him over the years.
“He is my good friend and I will always remember when he and his wife Karen shared a chalet with Breeda and myself at the Mount Kenya Safari Club in the mid-80s and when I got him to hit his first golf ball. I wish him every success in his new role. We will miss him.”
Stuart Bull, International Consultant to Masterfoods International Travel Retail: “It has been my pleasure to enjoy a business relationship with Mohamed Mounib for the past dozen years. During that time I have found him to be a tough but fair negotiator and an innovative retailer. A firm believer in the “˜in-house model’ he has done an excellent job of putting both Abu Dhabi Airport and the duty free industry on the map. He is, by any measure, a big man in our industry and his departure is a huge loss to us all.”
MORE STORIES ON ABU DHABI DUTY FREE
Abu Dhabi Duty Free posts +33% surge in H1 sales, aims for US$100 million by year-end – 09/07/07
Abu Dhabi Duty Free introduces 48-hour post-arrival shopping; “˜first in the region’ – 04/07/07
Abu Dhabi Duty Free offers travellers the chance to make their dreams come true – 01/07/07
Abu Dhabi Duty Free to issue specialist RFPs to retail operators in Terminals One & Three – 13/05/07
Abu Dhabi Duty Free launches Domo, a new lifestyle concept for men and women – 09/05/07
