Page 281 - Aamir Rehman - Dubai & Co Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States-McGraw-Hill (2007)

Getting Things Done: Operations Strategy and the GCC 263

streamlined processes for such activity. For example, a former col-
league of mine established a company in the Ras al-Khaimah Free
Trade Zone in a matter of days and praised the customer service
provided by staff. Insiders hope that the efficient, responsive, and
business-friendly approach of free zones will soon permeate the
public sector more broadly.

USING INFRASTRUCTURE EXCELLENCE
TO NURTURE WORLD-CLASS COMPANIES
One outcome of investing heavily in high-quality infrastructure—
and in the management capabilities required to operate such infra-
structure—is the emergence of Gulf-based companies in related sec-
tors that can compete at a global level. Dubai Ports World,
as noted earlier, has emerged at the forefront of global port manage-
ment operations as a result of its experience in Jebel Ali, large
amounts of invested capital, and expansionist visions. Another illus-
tration of the phenomenon is Emirates Airlines, the Dubai-based
carrier that has become a major international airline through its
strategic location, differentiated service, and substantial cost savings.

Emirates Airlines: Spreading Dubai’s Wings
When founded in 1985, Dubai’s Emirates Airlines was not able to
secure the role of the UAE’s national carrier. Since then, it has won
over 250 awards for international excellence and has built a net-
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work spanning over 70 cities in more than 50 countries. The airline
flies to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and now
~
directly to the United States. If it begins serving Sao Paulo, Brazil,
in late 2007 as expected, it will have the first-ever nonstop service
between the Middle East and South America. Since its inception,
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the airline has doubled in size every three to four years. In 2003,
it placed the then-biggest-ever order for aircraft (71 new planes) at
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the Paris Air Show. The airline is a remarkable success story for the
GCC and is one of the few Gulf-based companies that are globally
competitive and have a truly worldwide presence.
Several factors have been at work to enable the airline’s suc-
cess. One is the location of Dubai—almost exactly equidistant
between London and Hong Kong—as a natural layover spot for