Colm McLoughlin, Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, announced that he will step down from his position as head of Dubai Duty Free on May 31, 2024, after 55 years of dedication and success in the travel retail sector.
McLaughlin, who played a major and influential role in Dubai Duty Free’s rise to global status as the largest duty free shop in the world, will maintain an advisory role, attend sporting events sponsored by the Dubai Duty Free Foundation, and will retain his position as Chairman of the Dubai Duty Free Philanthropic Foundation.
While Ramesh Sidambi, who is currently head of operations at Dubai Duty Free, will assume the position of new CEO of Dubai Duty Free, effective June 1, 2024, where he will report directly to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Duty Free. Dubai Duty Free. Salah Tahlak, currently Joint Chief Operating Officer, will also assume his new position as Executive Vice President, Dubai Duty Free.
Commenting on this announcement, McLaughlin said: “I take the news of my retirement announcement to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to the Chairman of our Board of Directors, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, for his great and constant support for me, which had a great impact on the success of my mission at the helm of the Dubai market. Free. I also thank all the market staff members, including administrators and employees, who spared no effort to support my career. Continuity and stability have played a major role in the success of Dubai Duty Free, and both Ramesh and Salah are shining examples of this. I am confident that Dubai Duty Free will move forward in the process of growth and brilliance and build a bright future for our ancient institution.”
- Ramesh Sidambi as the new CEO of Dubai Duty Free
Ramesh Sidambi joined Dubai Duty Free in 1987, becoming the organisation’s Head of Information Technology before assuming other senior positions in Dubai Duty Free’s Logistics, Retail Development and Entertainment Division. In 2016, Sidambi assumed the position of Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Duty Free, following the retirement of George Horan, and was responsible for all aspects of the organisation’s operations, overseeing major retail projects at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.
Commenting on his new position, Sidambi said: “I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and to Colm McLoughlin, Vice Chairman and CEO, for this honor. Colm has been an outstanding leader in the travel retail industry and a fantastic role model for me and the entire team. I wish him and his wife Breda a happy retirement. I look forward to the next chapter of my career and working closely with the Dubai Duty Free team to continue to grow our business portfolio across all retail and leisure divisions.”
- Salah Tahlak, Executive Vice President of Dubai Duty Free
Salah Tahlak joined the Dubai Duty Free team in 1992, and was one of the first Emirati graduates to join the organization, where he initially headed the marketing department, and became director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2003. Tahlak is the first Arab personality to become a member of the two councils. The International Association of Tennis Professionals and the International Association of Women’s Tennis Professionals. In 2016, Tahlak became Executive Vice President, Corporate Services, Dubai Duty Free, where he was responsible for Marketing, IT, Logistics and Corporate Security. In 2022, Tahlak was appointed as Joint Director of Operations.
Commenting on his new position, Salah Tahlak said: “I have had a long and busy career at Dubai Duty Free, and I take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and to Colm McLoughlin for their precious trust. Colm has been a father and mentor to me over the years, and I have learned a lot from him. “I wish him, his wife Breda, and the honorable McLaughlin family every happiness and success.”
Colm McLaughlin came to Dubai as a member of the advisory team from Air Rianta, a subsidiary of the Irish Airports Authority, which was contracted by the Dubai government to launch the new Dubai Duty Free in 1983. However, McLaughlin, who reported to Mohiuddin Bin Hindi, General Manager At that time, he remained in Dubai to later serve as General Manager of the new organization, and then became CEO of Dubai Duty Free in 2011, before later being appointed as Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free and its subsidiaries, which include the Irish Village restaurants. Century Village, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and Jumeirah Creekside Hotel.
Under McLaughlin’s leadership, Dubai Duty Free has achieved significant and sustained growth over the past four decades with its total revenues jumping from US$20 million in 1984 to US$2.16 billion in 2023. During this stellar journey, Dubai Duty Free has won more than 780 awards. Of which 86 awards were given directly to Colm, including the “Most Distinguished Employee Award” presented by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him” in 2000. And the “Irish Presidential Award For Distinguished Service” presented by Irish President Michael D Higgins in 2014. In 2017, Middlesex University Dubai awarded an honorary doctorate to Colm McLaughlin in celebration of her academic successes that year.