Gulf Air Director for Information Technology Mr. Jalal Al Qassab has been voted as the "Top CIO" (Chief Information Officer) by a group of global leading technology research organizations.

Mr. Al Qassab received the prestigious ‘Top CIO’ award ahead of a number of high profile CIOs from leading industries, including airlines, from the region in recognition for his commendable work in deploying information technology at Gulf Air in innovative ways to deliver business value by creating competitive advantage, optimizing business processes, enabling growth and enhancing relationships with customers.  

The award was presented to Mr. Al Qassab at a ceremony organized recently by a group of global leading technology research organizations such as Forrester, IDC, Computer News, in coordination with technology vendors like HP, IBM and Oracle.

In the past Jalal has also won the ‘CIO and IT Manager of the Year’ award in 2005 and 2006 sponsored by CAN and ITP Consulting Group that publishes several magazines including the largest-circulated IT magazine in the Middle East.

Congratulating Mr. Al Qassab, Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Mr. Samer Majali said,”This is truly a great recognition that both Jalal and Gulf Air can be proud of. These days, information technology is a critical factor for any business to succeed, especially for the airline industry, which depends on leveraging technological advancements to its business success.  

Being voted as the top CIO is an acknowledged demonstration of enterprise, excellence and efficient deployment of technology at Gulf Air. We are all the more proud to see a Bahraini winning this coveted award once again.”

Accepting the honour, Mr. Al Qasab thanked the forum for recognizing the efforts of Gulf Air Information Technology and expressed his gratitude towards Gulf Air Executive Management for extending him necessary guidance and support that enabled him and his team to deliver the best.

 “We are in a unique industry that is largely dependent on technology that is at the heart of everything we do in airline and airport. Our focus is on leveraging technological advancements to support Gulf Air in making effective decisions to maximize revenue and reduce cost of operation in the present challenging commercial climate. More than a personal achievement, I consider this as an award for Gulf Air in recognition of its leadership role in the area of IT in the region,” Mr. Al Qassab concluded.