Kuwait Airways’ board of directors under scrutiny for governance breaches

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Representative Hamad Al-Madlej posed a question to the Minister of Finance, emphasizing Kuwait Airways’ role as the official national carrier of Kuwait and its global representation. Recognizing the airline’s significance in advancing development and countering questionable practices rooted in personal motivations, he underscored the importance of transparency and adherence to governance principles. The representative then sought guidance and information on the following matters:

(1) Have the governance rules of the company been put into practice? If so, please specify whether the company has experienced any breaches of these rules in the past. This includes instances where a current Board of Directors member engaged in executive actions constituting interference in executive management, participated in executive committees, or otherwise violated the established governance regulations.

(2) What is the reason for the delayed announcement of the CEO and their assistants’ positions within the company? Kindly share any communications and correspondence elucidating the factors behind this delay.

(3) Could you please furnish the educational qualifications of the individuals currently holding the roles of CEO and assistants? I request their CVs along with details on their academic and practical credentials.

(4) Could you confirm the accuracy of the Chairman of the Board of Directors’ statement in a press release regarding the company’s ongoing acquisition of five cargo aircraft? If affirmative, kindly supply the technical studies associated with this acquisition, including the names and qualifications of the individuals responsible for their preparation. Additionally, please outline the prescribed procedures for aircraft purchases within the company, and confirm whether these procedures were adhered to in the acquisition of the mentioned aircraft.

(5) What is the designated budget for acquiring the five aircraft, as mentioned earlier? How is the financing for this purchase structured, and have there been any technical studies conducted on the financing process? Kindly share these studies if available.

(6) Regarding the Chairman of the Board of Directors’ earlier statement, could you specify the regulatory authorities that should be informed about and presented with the proposal for acquiring the five aircraft? Has the necessary approval been obtained from these authorities? If affirmative, please provide documentation of the relevant communications and approvals.

(7) Is the input of the Engineering Department crucial to the mentioned aircraft purchase agreement? How technically sound is this input? What led to the removal of the previous Director of the Engineering Department? Additionally, could you provide the qualifications of the individual currently holding that position, as well as the qualifications of the former director who was dismissed?

(8) What academic and practical prerequisites are mandated for the Director of the Engineering Department role in line with both local and international regulations and standards? Is obtaining approvals from local and international aviation authorities a prerequisite for this role? Was the position publicly advertised? Please furnish evidence supporting the answers to these inquiries.

(9) What academic credentials are necessary for the appointment of department directors? Could you outline the selection procedures employed in choosing candidates for these positions? Has the nominations committee conducted interviews with any of the candidates, and what criteria are used for comparing applicants? Additionally, kindly share scanned copies of the Nominations Committee’s minutes from the past three months pertaining to the appointment of these positions.

(10) Has the reorganization of the departments been officially completed? If affirmative, was a study formulated and presented to the Board of Directors for this purpose? Kindly specify the author of the study and provide a scanned copy for reference.

(11) Administratively, to whom does the Amiri Fleet Committee report? Does the Chairman of the Board of Directors play a role in the committee’s proceedings, and has there been any interference in its work? If so, kindly elaborate on the compatibility of such involvement with governance principles. Additionally, please provide relevant decisions, regulations, and circulars governing the committee’s operations.

(12) Has any Board of Directors member previously submitted an application for a position within the company and been declined due to lack of qualifications? If so, kindly share the application of that member along with the reasons for rejecting the appointment.

(13) What factors led to the company’s withdrawal from the Dubai Airshow? What financial implications resulted from the decision not to participate? Who holds the authority to make the decision to cancel participation? Please furnish a scanned copy of the contract entered into with the organizers of the exhibition, as well as any decisions pertaining to both participation and cancellation.