Colm McLoughlin

Colm McLoughlin (born July 1943) is an Irish businessman, and the executive cice chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, an airport retailer with a turnover of US$1.93 billion in 2017 (AED Dh7.05 billion).^[1] Owned by the Government of Dubai, and part of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), Dubai Duty Free manages all aspects of the retail operation at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.

Early life

Colm McLoughlin was born in July 1943,^[2] in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, one of five children. Educated at Garbally College in Ballinasloe, McLoughlin was a sportsman who played hurling and tennis and went on to play rugby for his province. He also holds a private pilot license (small aircraft).

Career

McLoughlin's intended career in dentistry took a back seat when he went to London in the early 1960s and began working in retail. He joined the high-street chain of Woolworths, where he worked his way up to become one of the youngest managers in the company. During a summer holiday back in Ireland in 1969 he responded to an advert for a manager at Shannon Airport Duty Free. He got the job and went on to become general manager of the duty-free operation. In 1983, at the request of the Government of Dubai, he was one of a team of ten from Aer Rianta (the Irish Airport Authority) contracted by the Dubai Government to set up Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport. Following the opening in December 1983, he was asked to remain as general manager of the fledging operation which in its first year of business achieved sales of US$20 million. He went on to become managing director in 1995.

Dubai Duty Free has seen massive growth and development over the years and was named the single largest airport retailer in the world in terms of turnover, based on 2008–10^[3] and 2013.^[4] The retail operation covers over 38,000 square metres of retail space at Dubai International Airport. Meanwhile, the Dubai Duty Free operation at Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport continues to do well and covers 2,500 square metres. In the long term, the airport has capacity for over 160 million passengers and ultimately, the retail operation will cover some 80,000 square metres. Dubai Duty Free currently employs 6,000 staff, including 27 of its original 100 staff recruited in 1983. Under his lead, Dubai Duty Free has won more than 600 awards around the world. By the year 2020, it expects business to be in excess of US$3 billion a year, employing between 9,000 and 10,000 people.^[5]

In July 2011, McLoughlin was named executive vice-chairman of Dubai Duty Free which also incorporates a leisure division comprising the Aviation Club, The Irish Village, both in Garhoud and Riverland Dubai, The Century Village, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel which opened in July 2012. Another title was added on his designation as chief executive officer (CEO) in June 2016.

McLoughlin is chairman of the Dubai Duty Free Foundation, a non-profit charity founded in 2004 which is under the auspices of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Duty Free.

McLoughlin has received many awards. These include the Frontier Lifetime Achievement award^[6] which was presented in 2004 by Frontier magazine, making him only the second person after Brendan O'Regan, the founder of the airport duty free industry, to receive this accolade. In 2000, McLoughlin was the first non-UAE national at the time to receive the Most Distinguished Employee Award from the Dubai Government Excellence Awards.

In October 2014, McLoughlin was presented with the Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Business and Education category.^[7]

In 2017, Dubai Duty Free has received 28 awards from various entities including the Frontier Awards for 'Airport Retailer of the Year in Single Location',^[8] which was won by the operation for the eighth time, as well as awards presented to McLoughlin such as the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from CEO Middle East Award,^[9] the Gulf Business Award for "Retail Business Leader of the Year"^[10] for the second consecutive year and the BURJ CEO Award for “Global BURJ CEO of the Year”.^[11]

McLoughlin was one of the recipients of the Arabian Business Achievement Awards^[12] and was named in Dubai's 100 Most Influential People, by Arabian Business Magazine.^[13]

In 2017, McLoughlin received an honorary doctorate of the University from Middlesex University Dubai.^[14]

Personal life

McLoughlin has three children and lives in Dubai with his wife Breeda. His eldest son also lives in Dubai while his two daughters and two grandchildren live in the UK. He is an active member of the Dubai business and social community and is the former chairman of the Dubai Irish Society, former president of the Dubai Celts and former captain of the Dubai Irish Society Golf. He was the captain of the Emirates Golf Club (1995/1996) and the Dubai Creek and Golf Club (2007).

References