Boeing announced the appointment of Fahad Al Mheiri as Vice President for the Middle East Gulf and North Africa, Starting in January. Al Mheiri, previously the Managing Director of Raytheon Emirates, brings a wealth of executive leadership experience and regional expertise to the role.
Based in Dubai, Al Mheiri succeeds Kuljit Ghata-Aura, who has moved into a new executive role with the company. Al Mheiri will be focused on strengthening Boeing’s strategic initiatives and partnerships across the region that support national strategies to grow the aerospace sector.
However, Boeing’s presence in Saudi Arabia will continue to be managed separately under Asaad Aljomoai, President of Boeing Saudi Arabia, the US aerospace giant revealed.
“Fahad’s extensive aerospace experience and his strong relationships in the region will enable us to continue to build on our 80-year legacy across the Middle East Gulf and North Africa, one of the world’s most thriving aerospace markets,” said Brendan Nelson, President of Boeing Global.
“We thank Kuljit for his contributions to the company and are pleased to welcome Fahad to the Boeing team as we continue to invest in the region and deliver to our customers,” he added.
Al Mheiri holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University. Before joining Boeing in January 2026, Fahad served as the Managing Director at Raytheon Emirates, where he successfully developed the defense industry strategy and fostered key relationships within the UAE’s aerospace ecosystem. His leadership was instrumental in driving business growth and advancing regional security initiatives.
Fahad’s extensive background includes serving as the Acting Executive Director of the UAE Space Sector at the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA), where he oversaw space policy, education initiatives, and mission management. He also held the position of Executive Director of Business Development at the Emirates Defense Industries Company (EDIC), representing UAE shareholders in international joint ventures and taking on various leadership roles, including acting CEO of Bayanat LLC and EDIC Technical Services.
Boeing employs over 700 people across the Middle East and North Africa and serves more than 30 commercial customers and 12 armed forces across the region. Boeing sources materials and components from key strategic partners across the Middle East and North Africa, including from Strata and EPI in the UAE.
Boeing secured over 150 aircraft commitments during the Dubai Airshow this year, including firm orders and memoranda of understanding. The standout deal was Emirates’ firm order for 65 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, valued at $38 billion.
Firm orders totaled at least 102 aircraft, led by Emirates (65 x 777-9s), Gulf Air (15 x 787s), Ethiopian Airlines (11 x 737-8s), and Air Senegal (9 x 737 MAX 8s). Meanwhile, flydubai signed an MoU for 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft (with options for 75 more), boosting Boeing’s narrowbody pipeline.
In its Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), Boeing projects that the Middle East fleet will more than double over the next two decades, amid a new era of growth and modernization.
Supporting the rapid growth will require nearly 1,400 new widebody passenger jets over the next 20 years, with the largest share of global deliveries of newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft.
