Salah Makkouk

Leading Innovation and AI at Saudia Group. Design, build and operate the innovation and AI function from scratch. I’m responsible for the development of frameworks, teams and culture that fosters innovation and positive disruption. I’m responsible for the innovation and AI strategy, roadmap, and channels to deliver next generation innovations that transforms the group. Major achievements: - Launch Saudiathon the Saudia Group Accelerator Program, the Saudia Group accelerator program - Launch the Saudia Ai Sandbox which the Ai Contact Center solution was it's first outcome

Working with Mudassir Sheikha and the Careem leadership team to launch the Careem incubator. A bold move to support startups (internally and externally) to become the next unicorn of the MENA region. Major achievement was to launch One Click Checkout and scaling the product from 0-1. This included product roadmap, GTM strategy, business development and partnerships.

As the head of Innovation at the Emirates Group, I’m responsible for the development of systems, people and culture that fosters innovation and positive disruption. I’m also responsible for the innovation strategy, roadmap, and channels to deliver next generation innovations that transforms the group. The group’s innovation channels include Intelak, the leading start-up hub for travel, aviation and tourism, The Aviation X Lab, the first X Lab in the aviation industry, our co-creation program with strategic partners as well as our internal innovation capabilities.

Working on setting up the MENA travel & aviation start-up ecosystem with Emirates at its centre, from Dubai. The ecosystem supports the vision of H.H Sheikh Mohammed in developing Dubai into the aviation capital of the world. The programs I launched were Intelak, the Aviation X Lab, and the aviation challenges with Dubai Future Accelerators. Major Achievements: 2016: We launched Intelak. I was responsible to design, build and operate Intelak. Securing Partnerships with Dubai Tourism, GE, DSO at launch and later partnering with Microsoft and Amadeus to support Travel, Aviation and Tourism startups. In 2017 dnata acquired Dubz (first cohort startup). 2018: Worked with Dubai Future Foundation on the aviation track under Dubai Future Accelerators. 2019: We launched Aviation X Lab. Working under the leadership of COO I was responsible to design, build and operate the X Lab in partnerships with Airbus, GE, Thales and Collins to support Next Gen Aviation startups.

IT Partnerships & Acquisition is under Strategic Services division and our mission to develop an ecosystem of partnerships with selected blue-chip IT companies. The unit’s goal is to drive innovation, co-creation, sharing of knowledge and kaizen of existing assets with the selected partners. The unit is also responsible for the delivery of the strategic projects undertaken with our partners. Major Achievements: - Strategically developed the partnership framework with my assigned partners. - Delivered key innovation projects using Internet of Things, UAV and telecommunication technologies. - Contributed to business revenue by establishing business agreements with the partners. - Working with local and regional universities, venture capitals, incubators and start-ups.

Technology Operations for Emirates is responsible of all software, hardware, and infrastructure that ensures operations is un-interrupted and continuously performing at the highest level. Key responsibility in this role was to lead and direct the Emirates Group IT Operations Centre, providing leadership, decision support and ensuring that all units work in a harmonised and co-ordinated fashion. Major Achievements: - Operational Management of all technologies, network, voice, hardware, and applications globally catering for 50,000 Staff, through 4,000 Servers, 800 Applications and more. - Operational Management of all vendors providing services to Emirates Group IT. Including but not limited to DU, Etisalat, SITA, BT, Verizon, IBM, and Microsoft. - Operational Management of 3 different core teams, technical support, proactive monitoring and scheduled tasks. 3 teams of 110 staff, 8 direct reports and 102 indirect reports. - Emirates Group IT Crisis manager, responsible of managing IT crisis incidents globally.

Voice technology is under Infrastructure Management Technologies which is responsible to architect and deliver all IT infrastructure services for the Group. Key responsibility was to re-build the voice technology design, delivery and support teams and after being notorious within Emirates for the lack of ability to deliver on customer and business requirements. Major Achievements: - In 2008/09 I was rated within the top managers for overall performance across Emirates Group IT. - A major stake-holder in the multiple awards winning Global Connect project, a project that virtualised the 5 global contact centres of Emirates Airlines into ONE centre. - Delivered an online billing platform for the group. - Successfully re-structured the voice support teams which increased the SLO’s from 46% to 92%. - In 2009 I was assigned to head the cost saving task force for Communication Cost (Voice & Network), I have achieved 35% cost reduction on voice budget and 25% on network budget.

Leading the team to launch the 1st Aviation X Lab in the world. The Aviation X Lab is a bold and ambitious aviation-specific incubator that brings together five global aviation giants: Emirates airline, Thales, Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation and Airbus. UAE telecom provider du is the Lab’s Digital Innovation Partner. Based in Area 2071 at the Emirates Towers, Aviation X Lab was founded in October 2017 with an MOU signed in the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In partnership with Dubai Future Foundation, Aviation X Lab aims to enhance the air travel experience, innovate and create the next era of aviation through a sustained programme of funding and collaboration with global players in the innovation ecosystem. Its vision is to impact one billion people through innovation.

From inception & vision to leading the team to launch and scale Intelak. Today Intelak features an Idea Lab program for idea stage founders, Incubator for early stage startups and an Accelerator for late stage startups all focused on growing the Travel, Aviation and Tourism startup ecosystem in Dubai.

A reward for my performance in Lebanon was given the task of setting up and managing the IT department for the growing commercial bank in Lisbon, Portugal. The IT services were previously provided through the Madrid hub. At a high level the role was a continuation of my work in Lebanon however at a bigger scale. Major Achievements: - Setting up the department, hiring resources, training and taking over responsibilities from the IT team in Madrid. - Creating an independent IT budget. - Delivered a major milestone of setting up an outsourced help desk for Citi cards team.

My responsibility was to manage the entire IT infrastructure in the country and insure that business objectives and strategic plans are fully met. Managing a team of 2 direct reports. Major Achievements: - Managed to enhance the performance of the Lebanon IT team which was in bottom three countries in Distributed Computing status in 2005 to among the leaders during 2006. - Initiated the restructuring of Lebanon’s COB site, for the fist time in business history testing was completed with no major or paper comments. - Managed the outsourcing project of the local banking system to Warsaw data-centre.

I was responsible for the day-to-day data-centre activities, 2nd level desktop support, project management, TI COB coordination, and local country compliance coordination. Major Achievements: - Received an award from Citigroup management in New York for my performance in 2004. - Received several local awards for my outstanding performance during my time at Citibank Lebanon. - Received award for my efforts as local compliance coordinator.

B.S. Computer Science, minor in Business

Completed 5 weeks online course on Design Thinking on Innovation given by the University of Virginia on Coursera. I have completed the course in Jan 2016.