Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed receives Dubai-it award for aviation transformation
By Dubai Currents Staff2 min read
Dubai’s Crown Prince has named the winner of the Dubai-it Award, honouring the individual who reshaped the emirate’s aviation sector.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum was presented with the prize for what the crown prince described as “exceptional leadership in transforming Dubai’s aviation sector and establishing the emirate as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs”.
Growth figures and fleet expansion
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, praised Sheikh Ahmed’s stewardship. The sector has achieved “extraordinary growth” under his leadership, Sheikh Hamdan said.
“Emirates’ fleet has expanded nearly 139-fold and its destination network 76-fold, while flydubai has grown rapidly,” the crown prince revealed.
He added that Dubai International Airport recorded a world-record 95.2 million passengers in a single year for international traffic.
From humble beginnings to global hub
“From a sandy runway and two leased aircraft to a global aviation hub, Dubai’s remarkable journey captures the true spirit of Dubai-it and reflects the exceptional leadership of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed and his team,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
The annual Dubai-it Award recognizes individuals, projects, companies and institutions that embody the Dubai-it approach. The prize celebrates achievement while inspiring the next generation of transformative success, according to officials.
Initiative background and award criteria
On June 17, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Dubai-it initiative, a model designed to put the philosophy into practice. The concept reflects the belief that ambition has little value without execution and that speed must be matched with quality.
The Dubai-it Award will be held annually, running from September to May, to honour exceptional achievements. It aims to identify examples that embody Dubai’s philosophy of action, turn ambitious ideas into results, and deliver with excellence, precision and distinction within a short period.
June, July and August will be set aside for receiving and evaluating nominations for the following edition.
Winners of the Dubai-it award will be selected based on eight criteria: the exceptional nature of the achievement; excellence and quality of execution; speed of achievement and efficiency of execution; embracing Dubai’s philosophy of action; turning vision into tangible results; exceptional impact; sustainability and potential for development; and clarity of the model and its inspirational role.
