Kuehne+Nagel appoints Leon Diradourian as Managing Director in the Middle East
Dubai / UAE - Kuehne+Nagel, a leading global logistics company, has appointed Leon Diradourian as Managing Director for its GCC+ Cluster, comprising Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, effective June 1st, 2025.
With nearly two decades of experience in the logistics industry Leon Diradourian is well positioned to drive growth and development across the region. He will be based at Kuehne+Nagel's cluster headquarters in Dubai.
Since joining Kuehne+Nagel Canada as a Sales Executive in 2010, Leon has held a number of senior leadership roles, including Regional Sales Director, Eastern Canada; Regional Vice President, Eastern Canada; and Vice President, Sea Logistics, Canada.
Most recently, he served as Vice President, Strategic Customs Development, where he was instrumental in leading the integration of Farrow, a Canada-based customs brokerage recently acquired by Kuehne+Nagel.
Upon his new appointment, Leon Diradourian comments: 'Situated at the crossroads of global trade, the Middle East offers exceptional opportunities for the logistics sector. As many countries diversify their economies and explore new avenues for growth, I am honoured to lead the organisation in the region. Together with our team, I am committed to enhancing our service offerings, supporting our customers' success, and advancing towards our Vision 2030: to become the most trusted supply chain partner supporting a sustainable future.'
About Kuehne+Nagel
With more than 82,000 employees at almost 1,300 sites in close to 100 countries, the Kuehne+Nagel Group is one of the world's leading logistics providers. Headquartered in Switzerland, Kuehne+Nagel is listed in the Swiss blue-chip stock market index, the SMI. The Group is the global number one in air and sea logistics and has strong market positions in road and contract logistics.
Kuehne+Nagel is the logistics partner of choice for 400,000 customers worldwide. Using its global network, logistics expertise and data-based insights, the Group provides end-to-end supply chain solutions for global companies and industries.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tourism Breaking News
2 hours ago
- Tourism Breaking News
China extends visa-free entry to four GCC countries
Post Views: 35 China has launched a trial policy granting unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, expanding its visa-free access list to 47 countries, as per the recent report. Effective until June 8, 2026, the policy allows ordinary passport holders from these four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange, and transit. The policy has been warmly received across the Gulf region and is expected to enhance bilateral exchanges, strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties, and drive broader cooperation between China and the GCC. Currently, around 20 direct flights operate weekly between key Chinese cities—including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen—and Saudi cities like Riyadh and Jeddah. The UAE is connected to 13 cities across mainland China through direct flights. This expansion marks a significant step in building economic and cultural relations between China and the Gulf states.
Campaign ME
3 hours ago
- Campaign ME
The summer toolkit for hospitality marketing that beats the heat
As temperatures rise and desert winds roll in, it's easy to assume that the hospitality scene in the UAE takes a seasonal pause. Yet, year after year, summer proves to be not a retreat, but a recalibration. According to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, the city's tourism industry welcomed a record-breaking 18.72 million international visitors in 2024, a 9 per cent increase from the previous year. Notably, July and August each attracted approximately 1.31 million visitors, underscoring the city's year-round appeal. This sustained influx during the traditionally slower summer months challenges the notion of a seasonal downturn and highlights the importance of innovative hospitality strategies. I believe that the perception that Dubai is a 'winter-only' destination is fading fast. What's replacing it? A demand for climate-conscious experiences that make summer not only bearable, but desirable. Shifting summer travel habits among GCC residents Regional travelers, particularly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, are increasingly looking for local alternatives as European destinations become overcrowded, costlier, and less accessible during peak months. In the summer of 2024, regional travel saw a 15–18 per cent rise in domestic and intra-GCC trips, according to Skyscanner and Cleartrip insights. High airfares and Schengen visa delays are nudging travelers toward luxurious, accessible, and hassle-free summer options within the GCC, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Guest feedback from both 2023 and 2024 reveals a clear shift in expectations: visitors increasingly value venues that respond intelligently to the region's climate challenges. The demand is for climate-conscious comfort that enhances the overall experience. From advanced cooling technologies such as outdoor air conditioning, misting systems, and shaded architectural elements, today's guest seeks spaces that integrate thermal comfort as a core design principle. At Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG), this approach has translated into measurable impact. In July last year, we recorded a 23 per cent year-on-year increase in bookings, driven by curated activations such as sunset programming and DJ-led experiences designed to align with cooler evening hours. The summer toolkit At SHG, our summer strategy is grounded in insight. Through competitive benchmarking, guest behavior tracking, and guest feedback, we've developed a data-informed approach to adapt our offerings for seasonal demand. In 2023, our research highlighted a clear guest preference for temperature-controlled pools, wellness-led activations, sunrise and twilight swims, and evening dining. This insight shaped our summer positioning of rethinking how we use time, space, and ambience to create environments that prioritise both comfort and engagement. Take our daylife portfolio – Azure Beach, AURA Skypool, Bâoli Dubai, DRIFT Dubai, and Tapasake. While each has a unique identity, the common strategy is to turn climate-conscious design into a competitive advantage. From shaded cabanas and temperature-regulated pools, to ice baths and twilight activations, each detail is programmed with the guest experience in mind. Across the portfolio, music, lighting, and ambient energy are treated not as background elements, but as critical layers of the guest experience. Whether it's the mellow rhythm of a sunset playlist at DRIFT or a high-energy DJ set at Bâoli, every element is created to reflect each brand's distinct tone. Design experiences that make guests want to stay longer and return sooner, no matter the temperature outside. So how do we reach the right audience? Two mindsets, one strategy Summer audience segments can be grouped broadly into two psychographic archetypes: The laid-back lifestyle guest – wellness-focused, seeking calm, comfort, and slow luxury. The vibrancy-seeking socialite – looking for upbeat energy, music-driven atmospheres, and social momentum. With this in mind, marketing strategies must be designed to serve diverse mindsets simultaneously, with differentiated programming that resonates across touchpoints. The channel mix To market our summer activations, we leverage a focused media mix built around digital, PR, and word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM). These channels are chosen for their agility, reach, and impact within the luxury lifestyle space. Our primary channel is social media, which commands the largest share of our digital ad spend. It allows us to tell stories in real time, tap into culture, and reach our audience where they're most engaged. Print is minimal in our strategy, as our focus is on performance-driven, measurable platforms. My favourite though, is word-of-mouth and brand advocacy. At SHG, we're fortunate to have a community of loyal guests who become natural brand evangelists, sharing reviews, content, and recommendations not because they're incentivised, but because they genuinely love the experience. This form of organic amplification is one of the most valuable marketing levers we have. Personalisation This is where personalisation becomes a strategic advantage. By analysing data from our CRM ecosystem, we track Customer Engagement Maturity, identifying when a guest is ready to move from transactional loyalty to emotional loyalty. Because our guest relationships are long-term, we know not just who they are, but what they value -from their preferred table, to how they like their water served poolside. These micro-insights allow us to create campaigns and communications that feel intuitive, not intrusive, addressing guests by name, anticipating preferences, and delivering moments that feel uniquely theirs. Turning seasonal challenges into growth Summer in the UAE is no longer a low season, it's a strategic window for innovation. As guest behavior evolves and expectations shift across the industry, brands are leaning into creative summer campaigns, from curated indoor experiences to wellness-led programming and exclusive local offers. The challenge is how to keep guests comfortable and engaged. This has spurred innovative solutions such as redesigned outdoor spaces, cooling technologies and guest experience innovation. Climate-conscious design is rethinking how outdoor venues operate in peak heat. Retractable roofs and heat-tolerant landscaping are transforming terraces into versatile all-season spaces. Passive cooling techniques, such as optimised natural airflow and reflective architectural materials, are becoming common. Furthermore, as temperatures soar well above 40°C in the summer, cooling infrastructure has become a baseline. Hospitality brands are investing in tech-forward solutions that enhance guest experience without compromising energy consciousness. By focusing on comfort, service, and differentiated offerings, SHG leverages it as a competitive advantage. From wellness mornings and moonlit swims to twilight dining and sunset DJ sets, this season we'll see guests lean into experiences that are not only cooler in temperature, but cooler in spirit. What was once a novelty, night swimming, has quickly become one of the most sought-after rituals of the season. Throughout summer, both AURA and DRIFT will offer night swims on weekends, providing after-dark access with curated F&B, music, and lighting while maintaining each brand's distinct identity. The harsh summer heat pushes the UAE hospitality sector to think differently, from architectural design and energy management to delivering distinctive guest experiences. Once considered a 'slow season', it's evolved into a testing ground for climate adaptation and innovation. By Iliana Orietta, Senior Director of Marketing Daylife Division – Head of Corporate Marcom, Sunset Hospitality Group.
Middle East Eye
4 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Rights groups accuse Airbnb over listings in illegal Israeli settlements
Rights groups have called for the UK's National Crime Agency to investigate Airbnb over alleged money laundering offences they say it may have committed by listing holiday properties in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. Airbnb, according to two legal organisations which have brought the complaint, may have violated laws that make it an offence to handle money and property knowingly derived from criminal acts through its more than 300 listings in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. On Tuesday, the organisations - the UK-based Global Legal Action Network (Glan) and Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq - announced that they have filed a criminal complaint with the National Crime Agency over Airbnb's UK subsidiary. Airbnb is currently listed in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights' database of businesses involved in activities in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The filed complaint, one of several coordinated efforts announced on Tuesday, comes after the International Court of Justice July 2024 ruling that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'At a time when we are witnessing genocide in Palestine, businesses like Airbnb are providing services that deny the Palestinian people their means of subsistence, threatening the viability of the group,' said Shawan Jabarin, general director of Al-Haq. 'Following the finding by the International Court of Justice, that Israel's occupation is illegal, business activities trading in goods and services that maintain the illegal occupation, must come to an end.' In 2018, following a Human Rights Watch report which said that Airbnb's listings in settlements were unlawful under international humanitarian law, the company said it would remove listings in the settlements. But the company decision was reversed after legal action was brought in the US by hosts and guests of the listed properties, with Airbnb saying it would donate all proceeds from the rentals to humanitarian organisations. A spokesperson for Airbnb said on Tuesday that the company operates "in compliance with applicable Irish and US laws". "Since 2019, Airbnb has donated all profits generated from host activity in the West Bank to an international nonprofit, in line with our global framework on disputed territories," the spokesperson said. In addition to the complaint filed in the UK, Glan has also filed a legal challenge at Ireland's High Court after the Irish police refused to investigate the role of Airbnb Ireland in facilitating the listings of settlements. Additionally, Glan has sent a 'preservation letter' to Airbnb's parent company, the first step in proceedings under the US Foreign Legal Assistance statute which allow for the discovery of documents to support the Irish and UK actions. Glan senior lawyer Gerry Liston said: 'These are the first ever cases to apply anti-money laundering legislation in the UK and elsewhere to business activity in the illegal Israeli settlements. "They demonstrate that senior executives of companies profiting from Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory risk prosecution for a very serious criminal offence.'
