Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, born on 1 December 1958, is an Emirati businessman and a member of the ruling Al Maktoum family of Dubai. He studied political science at the University of Denver. His career in aviation began in 1985 when he was appointed president of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, the same year the national carrier Emirates was launched with him as its chairman. He went on to serve as chairman and chief executive of the Emirates airline and the wider Emirates Group, and he also chaired Dubai Airports, Dubai Holding, Dubai World and Emirates NBD. He has been called the man who put Dubai on the global aviation map, and his honours include the 2007 Living Legend of Aviation award for aviation entrepreneur of the year.