Gatwick Diamond Sponsors
GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS Meet the Headline Sponsors Laurie Berryman - Vice President UK, Emirates How long have you been with the airline? I have been with Emirates for 26 years. Every day is different and there is always something new. I have always lived near an airport so I saw it as a great move for me, though for a long time I was actually based in Manchester, returning to London in 2010. Emirates wasn’t as well-known as it is now. What I have found remarkable is the extent to which Emirates has grown its presence here in the UK, with us increasing our daily flights out of our six gateways, including Gatwick.
Do you spend much time in Dubai?
Why did you decide to become a headline sponsor for The Gatwick Diamond Business Awards? Emirates has been a member of gdb for eight years and we have always been impressed by how well it works with the local business community. There are some very good companies involved and there is a huge pool of talent and skills in the region. It is an effective way for Emirates to get more involved with Gatwick businesses and demonstrate our ability to connect them with other businesses across the globe.
the airline has grown dramatically, as has its presence at Gatwick where we now operate three daily services, all on our much-loved A380. Our growth is also evident in our route map where we now connect businesses to more than 150 destinations worldwide.
I visit Dubai about half a dozen times a year, mostly on business but I also travel there for pleasure. It is both a business and a tourist destination and a busy centre for commerce, finance, insurance and media. The number of SMEs there has also increased significantly in recent years. That said, it is also a great place to visit on holiday with great hotels like the Burj Al Arab, beaches such as Jumeirah Beach, plus shopping and theme parks to enjoy.
In 2017 it will be 30 years of Emirates at Gatwick. Will there be any celebrations? It is early days yet but it’s likely we will do something special to mark the anniversary. Emirates first started flying out of Gatwick when it was a very young airline. Since then,
18
www.gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com