Wataniya Airways was born as part of the Kuwait Government's liberalization of aviation services in 2005. An IPO in 2006 laid the solid financial foundations for the planning and creation of our airline.

The development of a quality product and service takes time and at Wataniya airways we have the right people, product and business model for success.

From the moment our guests arrive at The Sheikh Saad Terminal, they will experience something unique. They will enjoy personalized check-in services, fast-track immigration procedures and exclusive lounges serving all our guests that will make the on the ground experience alone something quite out of the ordinary.

Once in the air, from the onboard welcome of our staff to a unique array of in-flight entertainment and ease of doing business, the most comfortable seats and selection of specially prepared food - Wataniya Airways guarantees a flying experience like no other.

Board of Directors

• Abdul Salam Mohamed Ahmed Al Bahar
  Chairman & Managing Director
  Mr. Al-Bahar joined Wataniya Airways’ board in 2006 and became the company’s Chairman and Managing Director in 2007. He is a board member of Burgan Bank. Before joining Wataniya Airways Mr. Al-Bahar was a Board member of several companies including Tamdeen Real Estate Company, Wataniya Telecom, Bank of Bahrain and the Middle East, and Tunis International Bank. He was also Chairman of Kuwait Catering Company. Prior to that he spent years as part of KIPCO’s executive management team specializing in corporate finance. Mr. Al-Bahar holds a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

• Emad Jawad Bukhamseen
  Vice Chairman

• Sheikh/ Naif Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah
  Member

• Mubarak Saoud Abdul Aziz Al Beshara
  Member

• Hamad Mohamed Al Wazzan
  Member

• Reham Fouad Mohamed Al Ghanim
  Member

• Salem Abdul Reda Safar
  Member
  

Executive Team

• George Cooper - Chief Executive Officer
  Mr. Cooper joined Wataniya Airways in 2008 as the company’s Chief Executive Officer bringing with him over 30 years of experience in the airline industry. Prior to joining Wataniya Airways, Mr. Cooper was the CEO of OnAir, a Swiss-based airline communication services provider founded by Airbus and SITA. He spent 26 years with British Airways where he started his career as a pilot. He held several positions at BA where he was the Managing Director for its UK Regional business, Director UK & Africa, and Director Europe.
• Lee Shave - Chief Commercial Officer
  Mr. Shave joined Wataniya Airways in 2010 as the Chief Commercial Officer, bringing with him 20 years of experience in the aviation industry. Throughout his career, Mr. Shave has held several marketing, sales and commercial positions in some of the world's most prestigious airlines. Prior to joining Wataniya Airways he held the position of Vice President Marketing and Sales at Gulf Air after time at Qatar Airways as Commercial Director. Mr. Shave started his aviation career in 1991 at British Airways where he worked for several years before joining Swiss Air where he held the position of Executive Vice-President Marketing and Sales and Product.
• Captain Adel Al-Barjas - Chief Operating Officer
  Cpt. Al-Barjas joined Wataniya Airways in 2008 as the Chief Operating Officer. He brings with him a wealth of over 30 years of experience in the airline industry. He was Vice President of Operations at Jazeera Airways where he played a leading role in its startup operations. Prior to that he was Board member of ALAFCO for three years. Cpt. Al-Barjas spent 25 years at Kuwait Airways Corporation where he was the Operations Director, a senior training captain, and a senior pilot.
• Yousef Elzaro, MBA- Chief Financial Officer 
  Mr. Elzaro joined Wataniya Airways in 2008. Prior to that he was a Financial Controller at Kuwait Airways Corporation for three years. Elzaro also was the Director of Finance North America with Royal Jordanian Airlines where he spent 12 years of service. He brings an experience of over 16 years of service in the airline industry including USA, Canada, and the Middle East. 
• Chandrasekhar Nene - Chief Information Officer
  Mr. Nene joined Wataniya Airways in 2008 as the Chief Information Officer. He has over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry. Prior to joining Wataniya Airways, Mr. Nene held different key positions at Kingfisher Airlines in India, Sahara Air, Kenya Airways, and Jet Airways.
• Shalini Vohra - Director - Human Resources
  Shalini Vohra, before Joining Wataniya Airways, worked in the position of General Manager - HR with Spicejet and was a core team member for the launch of Spicejet. She is an HR professional with 12 years experience in the Aviation industry. She has also worked with Air Sahara and has comprehensive exposure to start-up airlines along with various facets of Human Resources Management including Quality (ISO), with hands on experience in Strategy and Operational HR in the Aviation Industry. She is a Management Graduate in Human Resources.