MANILA, Philippines – Emirates has appointed Khalid Al Zarooni as its new country manager for the Philippines, where he will oversee the airline’s commercial operations.
Al Zarooni joined Emirates in 2006 and has built a broad international career across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Most recently, he served as Emirates’ vice president for Saudi Arabia, a role he assumed in 2024.
Over nearly two decades with Emirates, Al Zarooni has held commercial and leadership roles across Cyprus, Uganda, Tanzania, Morocco, Greece, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. His experience spans commercial strategy, corporate sales, stakeholder engagement, and government relations, including leading multicultural teams across international markets.
His leadership has been widely recognized across the Emirates network, with his teams receiving the Top Sales Team Award in Morocco and the Top Corporate Award in Saudi Arabia. While based in Greece, Al Zarooni was elected president and chairperson of the Board of Airline Representatives by the foreign airline community, becoming the youngest person to hold the position. His election reflected the trust placed in him by industry peers for his professionalism, honesty, and transparent approach.
Al Zarooni earned an MBA from England’s University of Wolverhampton.
“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.”
Earlier this year, the airline increased its services through Manila, Cebu and Clark to 32 weekly flights, connecting customers across the Philippines to its global network via its central hub in Dubai.
