Airline Emirates has appointed Khalid Al Zarooni as its new country manager for the Philippines, making him in charge of the airline’s commercial operations as it expands services in one of its key Southeast Asian (SEA) markets.
The appointment comes months after Emirates increased its operations in the Philippines to 32 weekly flights across Manila, Cebu, and Clark. The additional flights strengthen connectivity between the Philippines and Emirates’ global network through its Dubai hub, supporting both leisure and business travel.
Al Zarooni joined Emirates in 2006 and most recently served as vice president for Saudi Arabia, a position he assumed in 2024. During nearly two decades with the airline, he has held commercial and leadership roles across Cyprus, Uganda, Tanzania, Morocco, Greece, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
“The Philippines has long been one of Emirates’ key markets in Southeast Asia,” said Al Zarooni. “Building on Emirates’ 36-year presence in the country, I look forward to working with our customers, travel trade partners and stakeholders to unlock new opportunities for growth and further strengthen Emirates’ position in the market.”
His experience covers commercial strategy, corporate sales, stakeholder engagement, and government relations, including leading multicultural teams across international markets.
Al Zarooni’s teams received the Top Sales Team Award in Morocco and the Top Corporate Award in Saudi Arabia. While based in Greece, he was elected president and chair of the Board of Airline Representatives by the foreign airline community, becoming the youngest person to hold the position.
He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wolverhampton in England.
The Philippines remains an important market for Emirates because of its large overseas Filipino workforce, growing tourism sector, and increasing business travel. The airline’s expanded flight network and new country leadership signal its continued investment in serving Filipino travelers and strengthening partnerships with the local travel industry.
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