UP AND AWAY
The Kuwait Incheon Airport Corporation is advising Kuwait on a new airport expansion, where convenience and safety are key.
BIOGRAPHY
Kwang-Soo Lee is the executive vice president of the Incheon Airport Corporation, where he has worked since 2005 in various capacities, including as the manager of commercial, planning, and marketing divisions. He is a 2007 graduate of the Yonsei University School of Business, where he earned a master’s of business administration. In 1984, he graduated from Korea Aerospace University.What key factors ensured Incheon won the tender for the T4 terminal, and what challenges have you encountered thus far?
This tender was composed of performance and price. Incheon already has a great deal of knowledge in terms of airport performance and experience for airport operations. Our airport in Korea is already the number-one graded airport in the world. Currently, 70 million passengers use our airport without accident per year, and we maintain an extremely high service level. Therefore, we are already approved in many countries, and that is one factor. In addition, we were able to quote an extremely competitive price for this project. Our experience allowed us to narrow the focus points of the airport's operation. We simultaneously reduced costs and invested in improving our processes. In some respects, we were able to find ways to use the airport efficiently. This project will be a critical point for us. The T4 terminal operation can act as a base for us in this area, and it will be a great opportunity to prove that we can run an airport in this region. Even though it is a small terminal, we will do our best to operate it in a fast and convenient way. We already have experience in airports in the Philippines and Indonesia, and we are familiar with that area. For Kuwait, we will use our learnings from our operations in Erbil where we got to understand more about the culture in the Gulf. Kuwait is the next step on our journey in the region.
What practices are you using in the Incheon International airport that can be transferred to Kuwait's T4?
Operations are the same regardless of the size of the airport. In order to better understand the culture in the GCC, we have observed the Middle Eastern airports that are well performing, such as Dubai and Doha. However, we have noticed that in general, there are margins for improvement when it comes to the service quality within airport facilities in the region. That is why we draw special attention to the quality we can offer, as we are proud of our services. We want to transfer our service quality to the Middle East. We are confident that we can do that extremely well. We therefore want to channel our efforts on two important factors: convenience and safety. In the service area, we want to use our knowledge and share it with young Kuwaiti graduates. We want to offer a comprehensive training by sending our people to Korea in order for them to learn the different aspects of airport operations processes at our academy. They will also be provided with training oriented toward passenger services and operational safety. They will eventually complete a one to two months practice at Incheon Airport and learn many things from our experience and working environment. After three to five years, they will be experts in airport operations. We seek to train them to increase their service quality overall.
What are Incheon's key objectives for 2019?
Until the end of 2018, we were focused on expanding our operations to get all Kuwait Airways flights operating from T4. This means there will be more than 10,000 passengers departing and arriving from this terminal. Before, only about 60% of them operated there. We are also focused on solidifying the stable operations of all Kuwait Airways flights by establishing direct flights from Kuwait to the US by 2019. In addition, we want to change the aesthetic of the terminal in order for passengers to feel at home in the terminal. As mentioned, we also aim to improve the logistic of the facility by finding a way to process people faster.
UP AND AWAY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interview
Adel Abdul Wahab Al-Majed , Chairman, Kuwait Banking Association (KBA)
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Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Director General, Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA)
KDIPA adopts a proactive approach to attract value-added direct investments supported by an integrated promotional strategy serving Kuwait's developmental goals in line with its National Vision 2035.
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Legal Reform and Infrastructure Projects Spell Opportunity for Foreign Investors
Along with the introduction and modernization of new laws and regulations, the vision of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to transform Kuwait into an international center for commerce and industry by 2035 is already being implemented through Kuwait's National Development Plan. Coupled with the promulgation of progressive FDI regulations, these new opportunities spell positive news for foreign companies looking to conduct business in Kuwait.
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Connecting the Dots
Today, connectivity is hardly indispensible for individuals and the companies where they work. Kuwait's smart cities, considered elsewhere in the book, will thrive on it, and meanwhile the nation continues to register notable business deals from the informatics sector.
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Khalid Abbas , Country Manager-Kuwait, Unilever
Contributing to the improved health and wellbeing of communities and reducing environmental footprint are key priorities for Unilever, which is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of up to 1 billion people globally by 2020.
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Mohammed Yousif Soud Al-Sabah , Board Chairman & Director, Public Authority of Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR)
PAAAFR has adapted a package of policies to face challenges inherent to deserts, hot climate, and water scarcity, bringing Kuwait closer to achieving national food security, one step at a time.
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Yang Chunsen, Vice President/ Chief Representative, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (CSCME) Kuwait
CSCME is a technology-driven company that leverages its R&D and long-standing partnership with the government to increase its participation in the future development of Kuwait.
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