RAK AIRPORT STRENGTHENS MANAGEMENT TEAM WITH SENIOR APPOINTMENTS

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, 17 January 2012: RAK International Airport has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Andrew Gower as Airport Director and Mohammed Qazi as Commercial Director.
The new appointments are in line with RAK International Airport’s mandate to expand its operations and services in 2012.

Mr. Gower joins the team from Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport in the UK which handles 5.5 million passengers per year. Over an 11 year period at John Lennon Airport he held a number of roles including Terminal Services Director, Director of Operations and Airport Director. He was responsible for the day to day running of the airport, ensuring it operated safely and securely whilst delivering a customer focused service. 

Prior to his role at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport, Mr. Gower worked at Manchester International Airport in a variety of operational and customer focused roles. During Mr. Gower’s tenure as Customer Services Manager, Manchester Airport was voted the Best World Airport for its service and facilities by the travelling public.

Mr. Gower said; “Ras Al Khaimah is fast becoming a destination in its own right and is gearing up for a surge in tourist numbers over the next 12 months.  RAK International Airport will play a key role in supporting this growth.
As the gateway to Ras Al Khaimah and all it has to offer,  RAK International Airport is set to grow its operations this year to ensure all passengers travelling through our airport receive a personalized , friendly service that is unique to Ras Al Khaimah. I very much look forward to contributing to the growth of the airport and the emirate.”

Mr. Qazi joins RAK International Airport from the UK, having previously worked across more than 13 UK airports including hub airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and major regional airports such as Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cardiff. He was the key driver behind the commercial strategies of a number of regional airports and played a significant role in growing revenues and improving profitability.
In his most recent assignment, Mr. Qazi was responsible for the turnaround of the world’s largest ground handling business, Swissport, for Stansted Airport , delivering a US $3.3 million profit  from $0.8m loss within 10 months. 

Mr. Qazi said, “I am extremely honored to be given the opportunity to assist in the growth of RAK International Airport. These are exciting times, as the Airport prepares to unveil several major, new initiatives. Ras Al Khaimah and RAK International Airport have tremendous potential and our aim is to make RAK Airport an airport of choice for passengers, airlines and airport service providers around the world.”

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About RAK International Airport
Inaugurated in 1976 by H.H. Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi- RAK International Airport is currently celebrating 35 years of operation. Located 18 kms from the city, the airport is modern with state of the art equipment and boasts a 3,760 meter long runway capable of handling the biggest aircraft currently in service.  6 scheduled carriers and over 25 charter airlines fly through RAK Airport. RAK Airport was the second airport in the GCC to secure the ISO 9001: 2000 accreditation for quality management.