Dubai: French multinational airline holding company Air France – KLM has appointed seasoned aviation professional Stefan Gumuseli as the new general manager for the Middle East-India establishment, effective August 1.
The airline said in a statement on Thursday that Gumuseli will be based at the regional office in Dubai and succeed Simon Scholte.
He will oversee passenger business for India and the Middle East, including markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Egypt, as well as additional offline countries. The airline said Gumuseli will be responsible for strengthening Air France—KLM's presence in the region.
Gumuseli started his career with KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines, in 2001 and is experienced in the commercial, sales, and operational domains of business. Over the past twenty years, he has held key positions in markets such as Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria, the company statement explained.
For the Air France-KLM Group, this region is a strategic market with innumerable opportunities and immense potential.
He said, “For the Air France-KLM Group, this region is a strategic market with innumerable opportunities and immense potential. I am confident that with the efforts of our teams and the support of our partners, Air France-KLM will continue to grow its footprint and deliver a positive experience to our customers.”
Air France-KLM is the result of the merger between Air France and KLM in 2004. The group’s three major brands are Air France, KLM, and Transavia. Air France–KLM established its regional headquarters in Dubai Airport Freezone in 2020. Last year, Air France-KLM and UAE’s flag carrier Etihad Airways expanded their codeshare and interline agreements, which were initiated in 2012.
With the agreement, more than 40 new routes covering destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Australia are now available for passengers.
