Meet Emirati Trailblazer at Abu Dhabi Airport as She Shares Her Credo for Success

“Every day I wake up and ask myself, what positive change can I bring about, what positive change can I bring around me? Even a small step can go a mile,” joined Abu Dhabi in May 2019 said Huda at the airport.

Huda has over a decade of diverse experience in brand development, mass communications, corporate strategy and project management. She is recognized for her passion for delivering unique experiences, engaging in communications and building brands, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s rich culture of hospitality and inclusivity.

“It has been a wonderful journey – both exciting and challenging. My role as VP Corporate Branding, Marketing and Communications at Abu Dhabi Airport is varied. I am leading branding, marketing across the group and communications activities, including leading the positioning of Abu Dhabi International Airport’s state-of-the-art midfield terminal complex,” Huda said.

“People think of aviation as a small sector, but it’s very large and contributes to the economy on many levels.”

Abu Dhabi Airports is the operator of five airports in the UAE. “Our idea is to connect the world. My role is to promote and maintain AUH’s reputation. I am responsible for marketing, events and corporate communications, as well as branding and various roles involving many different aspects,” Huda said.

“It’s been a great job and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. We’re starting to see the transformation of Abu Dhabi Airport, which is very special to me.

“We are communicating more with passengers. At the corporate level, we are also working a lot with our partners and stakeholders. In terms of connectivity, Abu Dhabi Airport is growing and things are looking up after the COVID-19 pandemic ,” said Huda, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Management and Marketing and an MBA from Abu Dhabi University.

Huda expresses her pride in AUH, which goes from strength to strength. Recalling the past, she said the idea of ​​AUH was first conceived in 1974, when the newly formed UAE was looking to modernize and expand its international presence. Construction of the new airport began in 1979 and the new AUH officially opened on 2 January 1982, featuring a circular satellite terminal connected to a semicircular terminal.

“Our founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan had the vision to build the airport. Thanks to his vision, the airport was conceived. Heritage It has been established and it will continue to grow,” Huda said.

She said that when Etihad became the national airline and national airline, it became a catalyst for rapid growth, leading to the opening of Terminal 2 in September 2005 and a second runway (runway 13L/2008) in September 2005. 31R) and Terminal 3 paved the way. In January 2009, the capacity of the airport was increased to 12 million passengers per year.

Another milestone occurred in 2014 when AUH introduced the first US border pre-clearance facility in the Middle East to facilitate the processing of passengers on non-stop flights entering the US before boarding.

With passenger traffic, routes and airlines increasing, AUH recently reopened Terminal 2, with five airline partners now operating more than 50 weekly flights, bringing the total number of airlines operating across all AUH terminals to 26.

AUH’s latest passenger estimates estimate that more than 13 million passengers will pass through Abu Dhabi International Airport by the end of the year.

“I have grown a lot in terms of understanding how aviation works and how airports are not just the terminals themselves. Everything from runways to existing facilities and more. We are always looking for different synergies to communicate with passengers. We are not just That kind of vehicle or facility. We are the first impression of the UAE for travelers arriving in Abu Dhabi. We are a gateway,” Huda said.

Huda added that she was fortunate to work with leaders who became her mentors. “They empowered me, taught me, shaped my personality and got me this far in my career.”

She especially recalls the encouragement and support she received from a mentor who will forever remain in her thoughts and prayers. “It was the late Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei who served as estate adviser to the crown prince and former chairman of Abu Dhabi Media,” she said.

“His words and advice are still with me. Some of what he said, I carry with me today. I apply his advice to my work.”

Huda was previously Marketing Director at KBBO Group, an Abu Dhabi-based private investment firm with a multi-billion dollar portfolio in the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

She has also worked in the fields of culture and tourism.

“I am passionate about Abu Dhabi’s rich culture and heritage, which is why I joined the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, where I lead the Marketing and Communications department, handling special projects such as the Abu Dhabi Film Festival and Emirates Channel, Baynounah TV, ” said Huda, a member of the international academic association Beta Gamma Sigma.

“I continue to support the preservation and promotion of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s heritage and culture, serving on several committees, including volunteering on the Steering Committee of the Cultural Projects and Heritage Festival Committees.”

Huda has a keen interest in teaching, having taught sociology at Abu Dhabi University and co-ordinated an undergraduate business exchange program in the US in collaboration with the UAE Embassy in Washington

“There’s a lot of encouragement, empowerment and empowerment from the government to move women forward. Personally, I don’t think it’s a women vs men issue. I think women can contribute a lot, both in terms of perspective and perspective “Women can multitask. They manage their own home and work and somehow create a good balance between the two.”

“Know your purpose in life. Ask yourself, what is your purpose? How can you contribute to changing everyone? I wake up every day asking myself what I have to do to make someone better,” Hu Da said.

“As someone who has held a leadership role in a large entity, I’ve learned that patience is key. Hasty decisions don’t always mean they’re right. So stay calm, think calm, and have confidence in the decisions you make, If you do it for the right reasons.”

Huda said she made her first income when she was 15.

“It was a summer job. I came from a family that taught me to be financially independent since I was a kid. So at 15, I was doing a summer job while my friends were hanging out in cafes. I’ve been working and growing since then,” she said.

Huda, whose mother is British and her father is Emirati, said her family had been supportive of her and her siblings.

“I have a twin who is 10 minutes older than me, a younger brother and a younger sister. Most of the people in our family work in the aviation industry. We are like an aviation family. My two children will have similar Childhood. We all have a special bond that will always be there.”

“My kids are six and seven, so I spend a lot of my free time with them. I love traveling with my family. I believe there’s a lot to learn in every city in the world. I love meeting new people Friends, discovering new cultures, trying new cuisines. So traveling is definitely one of the things I love to do,” Huda said, adding, “Family has always been important in shaping my personality, confidence and growth.”