Ismail Ali Albanna
Executive Vice President dnata
Ismail Ali Albanna has been with dnata more than four decades, joining the business when it was a five man team providing ground handling services at Dubai airport – then little more than a strip of sand – and playing a major role in dnata’s extraordinary rate of expansion which has seen the business become the major global player it is today.
dnata is the sole ground handling agent at Dubai International Airport and Ismail Ali Albanna is responsible for airport operations, managing an 8,000-strong workforce and providing full passenger, ramp, cargo and engineering services to some 140 airlines.
Ismail Ali Albanna, a UAE National, has been in his current role since 2003 and has many other responsibilities, including the provision of cost-effective ground service levels and the development and maintenance of organisational structures.
In addition, he controls equipment policies and staffing levels, ensuring customer requirements are met in the most efficient manner possible.
Ismail Ali Albanna also pioneers all overseas joint venture projects for dnata, represents the company at IATA and Gulf Airport Services Association meetings and ensures measures are in place to protect and facilitate dnata’s commercial interests.
He joined the company as a Traffic Clerk in 1967 and rose through the ranks to become Director Passenger & Communication in 1981. Promotion to Acting Deputy Director Airport Ground Services followed in 1983 before he became Director of Airport Services in 1990, a post he held until moved into his current role as Executive Vice President - dnata, effective 2003.