Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar al-Baker has been re-elected to the Chair Committee of global aviation industry body International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Al-Baker was elected to the Board of Governors at IATA’s 68th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in June 2012 and will be serving on the Board until the conclusion of IATA’s 71st AGM in June 2015.
In June 2013, al-Baker was elected to serve on the Chair Committee for a one-year term and was reelected to serve a second one-year term until the end of IATA’s 71st AGM, which will be held in Miami.
The Chair Committee acts on behalf of and is accountable to the Board of Governors with respect to the duties and authority delegated to it by the Board. It is responsible for overseeing financial performance and governance of the association.
IATA is the global body that represents, leads, and serves around 240 airlines comprising 84% of scheduled international air traffic.
IATA’s Board of Governors is composed of 31 persons elected from among its members, with seats allocated on a regional basis.
The Board acts on behalf and in the interests of IATA. In this capacity, its members make decisions in the best interest of the whole IATA membership. The Board gives policy directives and guidance to IATA Industry Committees and subsidiary bodies.
Al-Baker said his reappointment to IATA’s Chair Committee “was a great honour” and that he is looking forward to continuing working with member airlines in his new capacity.
Al-Baker added: “It is my aim to continue the good work of IATA and help raise the bar for member airlines in this highly-competitive industry. At Qatar Airways, we strive to excel in everything we do and I am extremely proud to be working alongside some of the best airlines in the world to ensure the aviation industry continues to prosper.”
Al-Baker has been at the helm of Qatar Airways as CEO since its launch in 1997 and has since steered the Doha-based airline into an award-winning global carrier.
As the nation’s flag carrier, Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation. Today, it is flying a modern fleet of 134 aircraft to 143 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America, and South America.
