The key facts
- Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Chairman and CEO of Emirates, has received the Dubai-it award for developing Dubai's aviation sector
- Over the decades, Emirates has grown its fleet almost 139-fold and its route network 76-fold; Dubai International set a world record for international passenger traffic with 95.2 million passengers in a year
- The Dubai-it award was established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid in June; this month it has already been awarded to SWS Board Technology and Fix Dessert
Award for turning Dubai into an aviation hub
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, has received the Dubai-it award for transforming the aviation sector and raising the global standing of the emirate's two airlines — Emirates and flydubai. The announcement was made on X by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Dubai, who noted that the award recognises Sheikh Ahmed's contribution to turning the emirate into one of the world's leading aviation hubs. “From a sandy airstrip and two leased aircraft to a global aviation hub — Dubai's remarkable journey embodies the true spirit of Dubai-it,” he wrote, according to The National.
Four decades in aviation: the numbers
Sheikh Ahmed's career in aviation began in 1985, when he was appointed President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, which oversees Dubai International Airport and Dubai Duty Free. That same year, Emirates was launched with him at its helm; today the group also includes dnata, one of the world's leading providers of air and travel services. According to the publication, the Emirates fleet has grown almost 139-fold, and its route network 76-fold; flydubai has also rapidly expanded its route network. Dubai International handled a record 95.2 million passengers in a year, setting a world record for international passenger traffic, while Dubai Duty Free — one of the largest single-airport retail operations in the world — recorded annual sales of $2.378 billion in 2025. The award recipient himself thanked Dubai's leadership and stressed that the success belongs to the teams of Emirates, flydubai, Dubai Airports and industry partners.
What is Dubai-it and who else has received the award
The Dubai-it award is tied to the strategy of the same name presented by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, in June: it is designed to spread a culture of excellence among companies, institutions and future generations, and celebrates innovation and entrepreneurship among the city's residents and businesses. Notably, the October ceremony was not a one-off: as The National reports, earlier this month the award in the economic category went to Dubai-based SWS Board Technology, which produces nearly half of the world's kiteboards and wakeboards, and on Saturday the award in the business projects category went to Fix Dessert — the family duo of Sara Hamouda and Yezen Alani, whose bar Can’t Get Knafeh of It with pistachio, knafeh and tahini made “Dubai chocolate” famous in 2024. Sheikh Hamdan noted that sales of Dubai-style chocolate grew by 1,234% over the year, with products sold in more than 100 airports worldwide. Thus, the honouring of Sheikh Ahmed is part of a series of award presentations to recipients in various categories, not a separate one-off event.
