Paul Griffiths is Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Airports, with responsibility for the operation and development of Dubai International as well as Dubai World Central, which will eventually be the world’s largest airport with capacity to handle 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of freight annually.

Paul joined Dubai Airports as its first CEO in October 2007. Exactly a year later, on October 14, he orchestrated the flawless launch of Terminal 3 at Dubai International and on June 27, 2010 successfully opened the emirate’s second airport, Dubai World Central. He achieved another milestone in Dubai’s aviation history on January 2, 2013 with the similarly flawless opening of Concourse A, the world’s first purpose-built A380 facility.

Prior to moving to Dubai, Paul was Managing Director of London’s Gatwick Airport, the second largest airport in the UK. Before joining airport operator BAA in 2004, he spent 14 years with the Virgin Group, working closely with Sir Richard Branson as a Board Director of the Virgin Travel Group, embracing the commercial activities of both Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Trains. Prior to this, in the 1980s, he spent four years in Hong Kong developing the marketing, commercial planning and technology functions for the then start-up airline Dragonair.

Paul’s career in transportation arose out of the strict advice of his father not to pursue his passion for music. An accomplished organist, Paul has managed to combine a high-profile career with a schedule of concert and recital engagements, and has made many public appearances as a recitalist, continuo player and soloist in concerti with major orchestras.

Paul is married to Joanna (also a concert organist and composer) and has three children between the ages of 9 and 22.