UAE. Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Colm McLoughlin led the company’s UAE National Flag Day celebration today (2 November).
A ceremony took place at 11am in front of the retailer’s head office in Ramoul, with many other UAE entities holding their own celebration.
“The UAE is a welcoming land for people from all over the world and Dubai Duty Free took this chance to celebrate our multicultural working environment,” said McLoughlin.
UAE Flag Day was initiated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Dubai Ruler, in 2013. It is intended to unify people living and working in the UAE and shows respect to the nation’s leadership, adhering to the values of the union established by the UAE’s Founding Fathers.
In other news, Dubai Duty Free has accepted a fitness challenge issued by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council for Dubai Government in early October.
As part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge the retailer will host special fitness events in the coming three weeks. The challenge is aimed at making the emirate ‘the most active city in the world’, and encourages residents to participate in various fitness activities for 30 minutes for 30 days.
“Dubai Duty Free has always been extremely active in sports and have had our own Sports & Social Club since 1986,” said McLoughlin. “It is great to see so many of our staff signed up to participate in this great programme, dedicating 30 minutes of their time for 30 days in various fitness activities.”
The first Dubai Duty Free corporate activity will be held this weekend, taking the form of a beach run on Jumeirah public beach. It will be led by Executive Vice President for Corporate Services Salah Tahlak. The 7.5 km run will start from Burj Al Arab jogging path at 8am in the morning. Hundreds of staff from across the company will run together.
Other scheduled activities include a zumba class conducted by a licensed zumba fitness trainer, a cycling event headed by Executive Vice President-Commercial Nic Bruwer, and a yoga class led by Chief Operating Officer Ramesh Cidambi and his wife Alpana.