overview
Quest for excellence
Gary Chapman, President of Group Services and Dnata, believes the
company’s efforts to provide quality service consistently, along with
a motivated workforce, have been instrumental in its remarkable growth
By Georgina Wilson-Powell
Gary Chapman has a hands-on approach to management
G
ary Chapman is President
of Group Services and Dnata,
Emirates Group. Having been
with the company for two decades,
he has seen Dnata’s business, which
includes ground handling, cargo, travel
services and an international division,
grow exponentially. On Dnata’s 50th
anniversary, Chapman talks about the
company with pride and of the staff
who have worked with dedication and
enthusiasm to make it what it is today.
“Having been in the business for
50 years we’ve established a reputation
for high standards and delivering on
our promises,” Chapman says. “Dnata
has demonstrated consistency, but that
doesn’t mean we haven’t got room to
improve. The quest for high standards,
efficiency, better delivery and higher
A Gulf News Sponsored Supplement
Printed and published by Al Nisr Publishing LLC
Supplied by Dnata
customer satisfaction is something
we strive for on a continual basis.
People and businesses warm to that and
realise, in the long term, if they want
to have a safe, secure relationship with
a service provider, we’re a good bet.”
“I’ve been very fortunate to inherit
from my predecessors a well-run
organisation and to benefit from the
continued support and guidance of H.H.
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum,
President of Dubai Civil Aviation
Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports
and Chairman and Chief Executive of
Emirates Airline and Group; Maurice
Flanagan and other senior management
of the Emirates Group.”
Dnata has embraced new
opportunities during Chapman’s
association with the company. But
Having been in
the business for 50
years we’ve established
a reputation for high
standards and delivering
on our promises.
refreshingly, it takes a modest approach
to expansion. “We’ve never taken the
view that we want to be the biggest;
there are other ground handling
organisations that can claim that fame
and the problems that go with that!
A lot of people believe that you need
to provide global coverage but it
doesn’t work like that. Customers,
either passengers or airlines, look
at the service at that particular airport,
at that destination,” explains Chapman.
“Fifteen years ago we ventured into
looking after ground handling at four
Pakistani airports,” Chapman says.
“I was involved in the establishment
of that joint venture and it’s been
a wonderful success.” Dnata’s
international ground handling business
now operates at 17 airports globally
and has tripled its business in the past
three years.
“We’ve acquired businesses whose
standard of service is in keeping with
Dnata’s own or where we can make
changes to bring it into line with our
existing businesses to ensure it meets
expectations. There’s no point in us
going into a business to make money
and then [letting] the standards slip.
We don’t want to simply maximise
on the return for our investment
in a short period of time, with no
consideration for the customer and
the businesses they in turn are
running. That’s not how we do things.”
Sales Manager: Yatin Singh 04 406 7273
Ad Sales: Priya Pandya 04 406 7919
NOVEMBER 2009 
 overview
Gulf News archive
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Investing in technology
Along with keeping a watchful eye on
the people and processes that go to
create high standards, Dnata has also
invested significant sums in technology,
especially in its cargo businesses.
“We’ve been a leader in innovation
on the cargo side, especially so with
the new technology we’ve consistently
implemented. We’ve been a leader in
introducing low-cost operations here at
Dubai International Airport, which have
been copied at other airports. We’ve
been good at recognising what is needed
in the long term, especially with new
technology.”
Dnata is perhaps most recognisable
in Dubai for its travel services business,
headquartered in the familiar mirror-
fronted building on the Sheikh Zayed
Road. Chapman believes the division
has about 40 per cent market share
within the industry.
“The travel services branch of Dnata
has offices in all the GCC countries now
as well as an office in Kabul. Travel
presents a different set of challenges
in a different business but we basically
adopt the same approach. We’ve won
awards for being the Best Travel
Service Provider in the Middle East
for the past few years,” says Chapman.
“It demonstrates that we’ve built the
business on high quality service and
delivering what we promised to deliver.”
For the aviation and travel services
industry, Dnata’s 50th year comes
at a tough time; both business models
 NOVEMBER 2009
Supplied by Dnata
Maurice Flanagan
are changing rapidly with traditional
revenue avenues experiencing a dip.
Despite this, in 2008-09 Dnata recorded
its highest-ever profit.
“Customers want to see value
addition; the old model is changing
and becoming a supportive, travel
management business,” he explains.
“You have to make sure you’ve got the
best travel arrangements, pricing,
service and accessibility. It’s not
just about delivering a ticket. The
companies, like Dnata, who can provide
that end-to-end management are the
ones that are going to do better.”
In 50 years, Dnata has seen Dubai
spring up around it, rising from a small
port to an international travel hub, and
alongside it, the company’s staff has
also grown. Chapman now heads about
12,000 staff across all Dnata divisions
and it’s these individuals who make
the company what it is today, a success
both at home and abroad.
“Dnata’s journey has been one of
steady, solid growth. It’s been a positive
experience and we have a belief that
employees should be well looked after
and well respected,” he says. “If you look
at our organisation the contribution
of our people is phenomenal. And by and
large they join us and stay with us. At
the end of the day that’s testimony
to the kind of business we are and how
we take care of our staff.”
Sensible flexibility
But how does a company as big as
Supplied by Dnata
Dnata Travel Services has won numerous awards
Dnata continue to have a satisfied
and motivated workforce? Chapman
explains. “It’s important to have really
good HR practices and policies and
I think the Emirates Group and Dnata
are among the leaders in that. If you
haven’t got a solid foundation then
everything else just falls down around
you,” he says.
“A business needs rules and
regulations, but there is also a need
for sensible flexibility from time to
time. Most importantly, you need to
make sure that you are as consistent
in the application of those as you can
be. We believe we’re good at looking
after our staff, helping them and being
compassionate when it really matters.
Business is not always just about money
but about people and I am passionate
in that respect.”
With so much experience under his
belt, Chapman has seen Dnata grow
and achieve particular successes that
are close to his heart. “I am immensely
proud of the fact that we have gone
global and still maintained high
standards and reputations so that now
when we look at Dnata we can feel
confident and comfortable.”
“The company has faced unique
challenges in its past, such as
complicated regional expansion, and
will continue to do so in its future. The
new Dubai World Central airport at
Jebel Ali will be coming online soon,
which will bring its own set of issues
for Dnata to work with,” he continues.
Dnata’s international ground handling businesses operate in 17 airports globally, including Dubai International
“Any situation where you’re operating
dual airports can be difficult,” says
Chapman. “The airport will handle both
cargo and passengers but we don’t know
yet how it will be split. It’s important
to try to grow the pie, not just move
some of it to another location. But Dnata
is well embedded in the airport and in
Dubai and is committed to supporting
Dubai, so we will find a way to do what
is needed. It’s more important to us
to put things in place that will be good
for the city, rather than being driven
by that last dollar. We don’t argue about
it, we just get on with it. It’s unusual
and I don’t think you would get that
level of commitment in any other
environment. I consider that to be
a major plus and it’s why the city
works so well.”
Chapman continues to be proud
of the workforce that will help him
achieve all this and speaks passionately
about them. As President of Dnata,
he is dynamic, strong and confident
in his management.
“There are cycles of business and
I’ve been around long enough to see
this business go full cycle and it always
comes back to the same thing. You’ve got
to have a workforce which is motivated,
a workforce that will go that extra mile
for you, a workforce which is proud
to be part of the business. Then you
simply have to give them guidance and
support and mesh all that together.
If you see something that is not quite
right, you’ve got to adjust things, bring
in new practices and get everything
back online.”
Having worked his way to the top
over the past 20 years, Chapman knows
his organisation and his industry inside
out and has developed a particular
management style for Dnata. “I’m a
great believer in the ‘feet-on-the-ground’
approach. You’ve got to be prepared
to roll your sleeves up and get your
hands dirty. I don’t think you should be
prepared to ask anyone to do something
if you wouldn’t do it yourself.”
“As a company we are well
structured, well organised and well
managed and we have great people.
You need all of that to make any
business work. We’re in a service
industry, so we need to make sure
that people feel good about their jobs,
about themselves and about how
they’re managed. I think we’ve got that
balance right”.
As Dubai keeps growing, you can
expect Dnata to be there, but its sights
are not just set on the local market.
As an international player, Dnata is
continually looking at opportunities
to continue expanding its business
horizons overseas.
“We are looking at opportunities
where we can get a reasonable return.
That’s something we do have to be
realistic about, because the ground
Supplied by Dnata
handling business is a mature and
competitive one, which means the
margins are small. Nevertheless,
we will continue to have acquisitions
in the future. In fact, there are two for
which negotiations are well advanced
but I can’t say any more than that!
We’ll announce both new ventures, all
being well, but when the time is right.”
Getting the basics right
Never one to sit back and be
complacent, Chapman is focusing on
the future and while new acquisitions
certainly play a part in that, he believes
the true way to success lies in keeping
an eye on things closer to home,
where he is constantly looking
for improvement.
“When we are asked to talk about
our strategies for the future, people
think you are going to reveal something
totally profound and hair-raising!
But business isn’t like that. It’s about
ensuring you are doing the basics,
doing them well and doing them
consistently. I’m involved in a wide
variety of businesses but if we can’t
get the basics right such as employing
staff who smile at customers, delivering
on our promises and servicing our
customers on time, then we don’t have
a future. My challenge going forward
is to continue to work on those basics,
because the moment you think you have
it sorted, you’re in trouble!” n
NOVEMBER 2009 
 DNATA’S GROWTH
Realisation of a dream
In the last 50 years Dnata has grown at an astounding pace
Ismail Ali Albanna, Executive Vice President, Dnata
W
ith a career spanning over
four decades, Ismail Ali
Albanna, Executive Vice
President, Dnata, is the company’s
longest serving staff member. He
joined the company on April 1, 1967.
Ismail, an Emirati, has been
credited with pioneering all overseas
joint venture projects for Dnata and
represents the company at IATA and
Gulf Airport Services Association
meetings. He also ensures that measures
are in place to protect and facilitate
Dnata’s commercial interests.
“Dnata is like my baby. I grew up
with Dnata,” says Ismail, who joined
the company as a traffic clerk and rose
through the ranks to become director
of passenger and communication in
1981. He was promoted to Acting Deputy
Director airport ground services in
1983, and became Director of airport
services in 1990. He has been serving in
his current role since 2003.
What did you know about Dnata at the
time of joining the company?
When I joined Dnata in 1967, it
was the only travel agency in Dubai. I
first heard about Dnata from Nasser
Abdullah Lootah, who was the chairman
of the Al Wahda Club that I was playing
football for, and coincidentally he was
the Head of Dnata at that time. I was
 NOVEMBER 2009
Gulf News archive
initially working with the British Bank
of the Middle East when the late Sheikh
Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who
used to support the club I was playing
for, advised me to join Dnata.
What are your earliest recollections
of working at Dnata?
I joined as a check-in clerk. There
were only 10 to 15 employees and
just one manager. He was Indian,
as were most of my colleagues. UAE
nationals accounted for around five
staff members. During those days, each
employee did a little bit of everything
— job descriptions were not strictly
outlined or adhered to as they are today.
What are your memories of the airport
expansion and the subsequent move
to a larger office space?
When the new airport expansion
work began, I remember wondering why
it was being built so far away. Why was
the government making it so big and
who would occupy it? When we moved
to the new terminal in 1971, I thought I
would ‘lose’ my staff in its vast expanse!
What is the single-most defining
moment in the history of Dnata?
Dnata’s incredible growth is tightly
linked to the meteoric rise of the city
of Dubai. This phenomenal growth has
come about only due to the leadership
and efforts of the first Ruler of
It was normal to hope
Dnata would [succeed].
[But] the pace and scale
at which it has grown has
been beyond anyone’s
expectations.
Dubai, the late Sheikh Rashid Bin
Saeed Al Maktoum.
What impact has the launch of
Emirates airline in 1985 had on Dnata?
Emirates airline has definitely
helped Dnata grow; every progress
of the airline has reflected on Dnata too.
Today, 60 per cent of the whole ground
handling operation Dnata has at the
Dubai Airport is for Emirates.
Every airline needs an efficient
and service-oriented ground handling
team to make its operations a success.
In that respect, Dnata and Emirates
complement each other; they share a
perfect bond that links the two together.
Dnata has consistently broken new
ground. What three elements do
you think have been key in shaping
Dnata’s continuous strive towards
excellence?
Any successful business requires
three basic elements —
1) Support from the authorities and
management
2) A very good team that works together
towards a common goal and
3) The aim of providing the best service
to people.
Did you ever envisage that Dnata
would grow into what it is today?
It was only normal to hope that
Dnata would grow into full maturity
over a period of time. However, the
pace and scale at which it has grown
has been beyond, I believe, anyone’s
expectations. But we, cannot take sole
credit for this success story. The credit
lies with the vision of the government
who dreamed big enough to make the
city of Dubai what it is today. n