Hong Kong and the mainland are a major focus for expansion plans at the Dubai-based airline, Commercial Operations Far East chief Badr Abbas tells Sophie He.

Emirates considers the market in Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland very important to the airline and expects to benefit from the Beijing-led Belt and Road Initiative, according to Badr Abbas, the Dubai-based carrier's senior vice-president of commercial operations Far East.

"For us, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong are very important, we have already launched our services on the Chinese mainland as well as Hong Kong, we are serving these markets with the largest aircraft - A380s - in our fleet," Abbas told China Daily.

He said that currently Emirates flies twice daily to Dubai from Beijing and Shanghai, along with daily flights from Guangzhou and four flights daily from Hong Kong.

"We are always seeking to increase our current services, which would help cater to the increasing demand in the region. We believe our seat factor is quite high, demand is exceeding supply, so increasing the existing flight frequencies will help grow our businesses, bringing more passengers into China while helping boost exports from China," Abbas said.

Expanding horizon

Emirates is looking at new routes and opportunities within the region for future expansion, which is one of their main strategies, said Abbas. "The company also wants to maximize its current slots in China, to bring in more of its largest A380 aircraft to increase our capacity, with the constraints we have," said Abbas.

He explained that some airports involve ground constraints, or slot or infrastructure constraints, and the company may need to get government approval as well in order to increase flights.

He said that Emirates' strategy on the Chinese mainland is to support the Belt and Road Initiative and the airline is a strong player in supporting that strategy as 74 percent of destinations that Emirates flies to are not served by Chinese carriers.

"We also have many freight services on the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong to promote exports of different products and services, communication equipment, IT equipment, garments, hardware ornaments, (and so on)."

To enhance its competitiveness on both the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong, Emirates is also localizing its product offering.

World view

"We have more than 480 Chinese cabin crew working for Emirates, we have Chinese in-flight food to cater to different ethnic preferences, we have the chauffeured drive, the complimentary lounges in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong," Abbas reeled off.

Abbas joined Emirates in 2000 as a management trainee, his first job. The holder of a bachelor's in business administration and a diploma in accounting, he also graduated from the London Business School's Global Business Consortium, which is a senior executive management course.

The Emirates management training program has been very successful, he said.

"It's a great program, besides myself, many people in the company have gone through this management trainee program and have reached senior posts. It is a two-year intensive training program, it takes you through all departments. I've worked in Dubai on grounds, in the airport, in cargo terminals, in commercial, reservations, the call center, finance - all the major departments."

Abbas recalled that after he went through this program he was posted as an Emirates country managers, with his first stop being Cyprus. He subsequently became country manager of Yemen, Libya and Tunisia, and also worked as a regional manager for Saudi Arabia and as vice president of Emirates in Pakistan.

In 2012, Abbas became vice-president commercial operations UAE and Oman, before being named senior vice-president of commercial operations Far East last October - a role spanning 11 countries and regions from Indonesia to Japan.

"I went through many markets, and gradually, I got bigger roles as I went along," he said, stressing that the rich and diverse experience from working in different countries had led to his success.

"I've worked in challenging countries, so the decision-making skills have to be strong and calculated in those markets. I worked with people from different cultures with different backgrounds, which has also helped me."

Abbas said that he values teamwork very much and believes that he should always be working with the team, bringing out the best in them. Besides he always sets the vision and the objective for any market he takes on, and has been successful in achieving those objectives so far.

"I also have strong ties with many government entities, which helped me get things done to achieve certain objectives in many challenging markets. The relationship and the communication skills have helped me be successful." His business philosophy is always to focus on what will have the most significant impact on the job, bringing out the best in his team and trying to help people grow within the company.

"I also lead from the front and always set an example for my employees, this is how I motivate them," he said.

In terms of keeping a balanced life, Abbas said that he dedicates his weekends to his children, his wife and his parents.

He also works out regularly. He is a keen tennis player and believes that a healthy body helps maintain a healthy mind.

Contact the writer at sophiehe@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 01/11/2016 page8)