HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum

Despite allegations against Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates from air- lines in the United States and Europe, Sheikh Ahmed still had plenty of reasons to smile in 2015. The overseer of the emirate’s aviation ambi- tions began the year with Dubai International Airport being crowned the world’s busiest international air hub with 70.5 million passengers carried in 2014. Emirates Group then announced its 27th consecutive year of profit in May and a 65 per cent rise in profit at its half-year results in November. There was also good news from the financial industry, where both banks he chairs enjoyed positive results. Emirates NBD delivered a 27 per cent rise in nine-month net profit in October and Noor Bank announced a record 26 per cent net profit rise for the first half of the year in May. Overall, the chairman of some of Dubai’s largest govern- ment vehicles, including the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee and Dubai World, finished the year in good stead.