MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA. The Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) has elected Jordanian Duty Free Shops CEO Haitham Al Majali (pictured) to a further two-year term as President and named a new board.
IDF Trading & Agencies CEO Sherif Toulan is named Vice President, Hamila Duty Free CEO Tarek Hamila is Treasurer and Dufry Jordan Chairman Taleb Izmigna is Secretary General.
Other board members are Dubai Duty Free Senior Vice President Finance Bernard Creed, ARI-Middle East CEO Nuno Amaral, IDF Africa & Middle East DWC CEO Nicolas van Brandt, Lagardère Travel Retail CEO Middle East David Bisset, Aphrodite Duty Free Shops Chairman Karl Raphael, Dufry Sharjah General Manager Felix Brunner and TFWA President Alain Maingreaud.
For the first time, a board representative from an affiliate member of MEADFA was also elected: JTI Corporate Affairs & Communications Manager Worldwide Duty Free Rita Chidiac.
The elections were held last Tuesday in Dubai, with the new term for President and board members running from April through to March 2021.
Al Majali expressed his thanks to outgoing board members for their support and welcomed the new board members.
He said: “It is a pleasure and honour to be elected as the MEADFA President for the second time. My sincere gratitude to the members for their trust.
“Since the introduction of the affiliate category, our membership has grown to 44 members. A new chapter in direct collaboration with the affiliate members, this is an exciting and interesting period, joining forces for the advantage of the duty free and travel retail industry in the Middle East and Africa region.
“I look forward to partnering with my fellow board members to deliver on our vision and help accelerate the strategic actions to represent the industry and strengthen the association’s growth.”
