Well here’s an announcement that I didn’t see coming…

Hamad Ali Al‑Khater appointed Qatar Airways CEO

Hamad Ali Al‑Khater has been appointed Qatar Airways CEO as of today (December 7, 2025), succeeding Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. Keep in mind that Al-Meer was only appointed CEO of Qatar Airways in late 2023, replacing longtime CEO Akbar Al Baker, who had been leading the airline for 27 years.

Al-Khater joins Qatar Airways from Hamad International Airport, where he served as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for ensuring the safety and reliability of airport operations, while leading the airport’s strategic direction, operational excellence, infrastructure expansion, and the improvement of passenger experience. Interestingly, the outgoing CEO was also Chief Operating Officer of the airport before being appointed CEO of the airline.

Prior to his tenure at Hamad International Airport, Al-Khater held senior roles across QatarEnergy, driving business development, deal execution, and leading large-scale strategic and operational initiatives.

Here’s how Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar Airways’ Chairman, describes this development:

“Qatar Airways Group extends its appreciation to Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer for his service. As we welcome Mr. Hamad Ali Al-Khater, we look forward to building on the strong foundations and expansive global network of Qatar Airways, anchored by our exceptional team in Qatar and around the world. With this leadership transition, Qatar Airways Group reaffirms its commitment to delivering world-class experiences, reliability, and innovation to travellers around the globe.”

I wonder what caused this abrupt leadership change

I’ve gotta say, I’m absolutely surprised to see Al-Meer leaving the airline so quickly, since I think he has done a phenomenal job, and positively changed the culture at the airline for the better. By all accounts, he’s a genuinely nice guy who employees loved, because he treated them with respect. Strategically, I also think he did a good job continuing to move the airline in the right direction.

It seems clear that he isn’t leaving the airline on great terms, based on the fact that the new CEO is taking over effective immediately, without any sort of a transition period. On top of that, the press release doesn’t even have a quote from Al-Meer about his departure from the airline.

The airline is owned by the government, so obviously there’s some stuff happening behind the scenes. Did Al-Meer somehow not see eye-to-eye with some people in the government? Or is his replacement just closer to the royal family, and they wanted to give the job to a closer person, and just viewed Al-Meer as a transitionary figure?

I didn’t know anything about Al‑Khater prior to today, so I wish him all the best in his new role, and I hope he continues with Al-Meer’s approach of treating employees with respect, and valuing them. And I wish Al-Meer the best in whatever his next ventures are.

Bottom line

Qatar Airways has appointed Hamad Ali Al‑Khater as its new CEO, replacing Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. Al-Meer just joined the airline a couple of years ago, after the previous CEO had been at the company for 25+ years. I’m not sure what exactly happened here, but I commend Al-Meer for helping to positively shape the culture at the airline, and wish Al‑Khater the best in his new role.

What do you make of this Qatar Airways management shakeup?