It was somewhat the end of an era at one of Dubai’s largest companies last week, as Dubai Duty Free (DDF)’s George Horan stepped down from his position as president of the airport retailer after helping to set it up 33 years ago.
Horan, along with Colm McLoughlin and John Sutcliffe — the so-called ‘Irish trinity’ — arrived in Dubai from Dublin in 1983, with seven other Irish staff from airport retail management company Aer Rianta. Their mission was to establish Dubai International Airport’s duty free (DDF) retail operation. The trio stayed on and helped to grow Dubai Duty Free into the world’s biggest single airport retail business, with sales figures of USD 1.88 billion last year.
Read full feature in Arabian Business.
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