Dubai, United Arab Emirates —23July2026: Dubai Airports has announced three senior leadership appointments that enhance its technology, operational and national talent capabilities as it prepares for the next phase of growth across Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC).
The appointments see the internal promotions of Kan Ni from Vice President, Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) to Senior Vice President, Airport Operations and the promotion of Khalid Ishaq from Head of AOCC Integrationto Vice President, AOCC.Alongside, Ahmad Al Bastaki joins as Vice President, Technology Operations and Cybersecurity within Business Technology.
Each appointment reflects Dubai Airports’ continued investment in leadership capabilities needed to support the growthand ambitions of Dubai’s aviation sector.
Majed Al Joker, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Airports, said: “Our ability to deliver safely, efficiently and at scale depends on the strength of our people, the resilience of our systems and the way we work together as one airport community. These appointments reinforce the leadership capability we need for the future, combining specialist technology expertise, deep operational experience and strong Emirati talent in areas that are increasingly central to airport performance and resilience.”
Together, the promotions of Kan Ni and KhalidIshaq further strengthen AOCC, the real-time operational nerve centre that coordinates the seamless dailymovement of about 200,000 guests through DXB.
Kan Ni has been central to developing the AOCC into a platform for coordinated, data-led decision-making across DXB’s operations. That capability was evident during the recent period of regional airspace constraints, when he led his teams through a rapidly changing operating environment, coordinating closely with the aviation network to help keepDubai moving safely and efficiently.
Khalid Ishaq joined Dubai Airports in 2005 and has developed extensiveexpertise across its operational systems over two decades of service. His promotion reflects the organisation’s ongoing commitment to developing national talent, with 75% of the management team represented by Emiratis, supporting national priorities, including Nafis and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
Ahmad Al Bastaki’s appointment strengthens technology leadership at a time when airports increasingly operate as technology businesses. He will lead cybersecurity, service management and infrastructure operations, bringing deep expertise to an area that is increasingly critical to airport performance and resilience.
The appointments support Dubai Airports’ continued focus on operational excellence, guest experience, digital transformation and future capacity.
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About Dubai Airports
- Dubai Airports operates both of Dubai’s airports, Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC).
- As an integrator, Dubai Airports works to balance the interests of all stakeholders to maintain aviation growth, protect operational resilience and ensure that service providers collaborate to provide a safe and secure service, and improve customer experience whilst maintaining a sustainable business.
- In 2025, DXB welcomed a record 95.2 million guests, marking the busiest year in its history and the highest annual international traffic ever recorded by any airport.
- DWC embodies Dubai’s vision for the future of aviation. With expansion plans announced in May 2024, involving a record investment of US$35b, DWC aims to reshape the aviation landscape.
- Over the next decade, DWC will accommodate 150m passengers annually, eventually expanding to 260m passengers and 12m tonnes of cargo.
- With five runways, futuristic design and seamless intermodal connectivity, DWC aims to revolutionise global air travel, setting new standards for efficiency and guest experience for the next 50 years.
- High-resolution images of DXB are available here: Media Library
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