In his nearly 50 years of running airlines from London to Dubai, to Colombo and now Muscat, Peter Hill has become known in his industry for a few select moments when he stood up for the common man.
He famously said no to a presidential request in Sri Lanka, leading to his dismissal as chief executive of SriLankan Airlines. The moment that made Mr Hill famous occurred in 2007, when he was in his ninth year guiding the company.
In December of that year, with the holiday high season in full swing, a late request came in to clear 35 seats for the president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his entourage on a flight to Colombo from London, where Mr Rajapaksa was watching his son graduate from the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.
The flight was already fully booked. Faced with the prospect of displacing three dozen passengers who had booked tickets months in advance for their big holiday, Mr Hill baulked.
"It wasn't a difficult decision," he recalls. "I simply took it. The consequences of honouring that request would have really destroyed everything that we built SriLankan Airlines into; that staff and supporters and customers had come to expect."
The government's abrupt response was to revoke Mr Hill's work permit.
Years earlier, he took a break from the business and set up a pub in Camden, a suburb of London, in between airline jobs in the 1990s. Pulling pints for the after-work crowd, he had plenty of tales to amuse the regulars.
For high drama, try putting yourself in his shoes in 1985, when he helped start Emirates Airline, the most successful airline launch of the past 30 years, or 2001, when he helped SriLankan Airlines rise from the ashes after Tamil Tigers blew up half of his fleet in an audacious airport raid.
Through it all, Mr Hill, who is now in his mid-60s, says he never strayed from his humble roots while coming up the ranks at British Overseas Airways Corporation, which was to become British Airways, in London as a commercial trainee.
"I've been lucky in getting to know people in top places: high-flying guys; politicians," says Mr Hill, who is now the chief executive of Oman Air. "But I guess I also like to know friends in low places, you know what I mean?"
Mr Hill's interest in people, no matter their rank, wasn't the only thing that distinguished him from the crowd.
"He has such a good brain, he can tackle anything," says Maurice Flanagan, who started Emirates Airline. In 1978, Mr Flanagan hired Mr Hill, who was at Gulf Air at the time, for DNATA, an airline ticketing and ground-handling company in Dubai. Seven years later, Mr Hill would help Mr Flanagan start Emirates.
Mr Flanagan, the executive vice chairman of the Dubai airline, praises Mr Hill's skills at everything from setting up reservations systems to negotiations, but also noted his value as a companion. "He was a lot of fun to have around," he says.
In what could be his last airline job in a career that began in 1961, Mr Hill took the reins at Oman Air in 2008 and has been working to help the airline jump-start the country's growing tourism industry.
"I'll stay as long as I'm wanted, and I'm adding value," he says. "But I wouldn't expect it to be that much longer; you know, a couple of more years, maybe."
His next adventure, he says, will be running the foundation he and his wife have set up in Sri Lanka.
"There will be someone else by then to take it over and I'll be able to go home and put my feet up and work on our foundation."
It will mean a return to Sri Lanka, despite his abrupt departure three years ago. It was no way to treat a man who guided the emergency response at the airline when it was caught up in one of the country's violent political struggles. In 2001, Tamil Tigers, the rebel group, attacked the airport in the early hours of the morning and in the ensuing crossfire with police, four aeroplanes were destroyed, including one plane that had been delivered just four weeks earlier and another eight weeks before that.
Mr Hill got a call at 3.40 in the morning from an employee describing the chaos inside the passenger terminal. "Do you hear all that noise? Those are bullets," his duty officer said. The terminal was evacuated and five hours later the military carried Mr Hill over to the airport in a military helicopter with soldiers manning machine guns at each doorway.
"We had a good look at 5,000 feet over the airport," he says. "There were still some rebels in the airport that had moved into the terminal building and some firing still going on. And there was our four aircraft hulks actually burning on the ramp, split and broken. It was terrible.All you saw was the tail, the two engines and the broken fuselage, all burned."
But Mr Hill had the airline flying again after 36 hours. During the next six months, when travel to Sri Lanka dropped, it made most of its flights via the Maldives, effectively serving as that island nation's own airline with direct services to Japan and the UK.
"That winter we recovered quite a bit of business as well as credibility within the industry," he says.
This was one of the low points. The high point of his career came 16 years earlier, when the first flight for Emirates Airline took off at 11.45am on October 25 1985 bound for Karachi. It was an improbable conclusion to a business plan writing process that Mr Hill had undertaken with several others.
Ironically, the business plan did not wholeheartedly endorse launching an airline. The recommendation stemmed from the fact that Dubai was being pressured by Gulf Air to recognise it as the emirate's official airline. With the very real prospect that Gulf Air would pull out all services, which would have choked off trade and commerce, plans for an airline were drawn up.
The first business plan was to initially run a small fleet of Boeing 737s operating to GCC cities to replace the routes Gulf Air would abandon. A second phase called for flying to the Indian subcontinent.
But three months before launch date, Mr Hill, Mr Flanagan and the rest of the planners were forced to abandon the GCC rollout because they were unable to obtain the traffic rights. "We didn't get any of them," Mr Hill recalls.
So Karachi was its first route, and the result is history. Emirates is not only the most profitable airline in the Middle East, it is also one of the world's largest.
"We never expected in our wildest dreams it would take off to the success it did," he says.
"It was a wild ride, Ride of the Valkyries stuff: up and up and up."
igale@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
SPECS
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Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
