Chalhoub appointed MEDFA president

Gavin Lipsith

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Habchi & Chalhoub managing director to succeed Colm McLoughlin as president of the Middle East Duty Free Association

The Middle East Duty Free Association has elected a new board at its annual general meeting, which took place on March 29 in Dubai. Habchi & Chalhoub managing director will succeed Dubai Duty Free (DDF) managing director Colm McLoughlin as president of the association, with Hamila Duty Free CEO Tarek Hamila as vice-president, Dufry Sharjah general manager Eugene Barry as treasurer and Emirates Airlines duty-free manager John Sime as secretary general.

Other members of the incoming board, for the term April 2007 to April 2009, are Abu Dhabi Duty Free managing director Mohamed Mounib, Aer Rianta International-Middle East managing director John Sutcliffe, DDF managing director Colm McLoughlin, International Duty Free and Trading Agencies managing director Kamal Toulan, Jordanian Duty Free Shops managing director Haitham Al Majali and TFWA CEO Olivier Charriaud.

MEDFA will run its second training programme in Oman on May 7. The course will teach advanced negotiation skills and is aimed at senior duty-free executives. It follows the association’s first training event, “Train the trainer”, held last year.

This year’s annual MEDFA conference will take place on November 30-December 1 in Dubai. It will be followed by the Dubai Duty Free golf tournament on December 2-3 and MEDFA will continue to offer its support to the Middle East Exclusive exhibition, to be held this year on December 4-6 in Dubai.

At its annual general meeting, MEDFA welcomed new member Aldeasa That El-Salasil, the new operator at Kuwait International airport, represented by general manager Maher Qassab.