Maverick vs. Iceman redux
- Prashant Kavi (PK)
- Sep 22, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 3
“Up there with the best of the best."
Marketing tagline, Top Gun (1986)
An interesting comparison emerged as I was researching my article on Akbar Al Baker and that in some measure also bears out the contrasting combativeness of players single-mindedly focused to be at the top of their game.
Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines, 2023 revenues ~US$11B and US$13.75B respectively, have for long been vying the top spot of being the best airline in the world and have in the last few years, been intermittently (and quite dominantly), swapping the top two slots in the Skytrax world annual airline rankings; in the process, setting the bar for superlative customer service and product innovation.
Both Airlines are a shining reflection of the achievements of their respective countries and hold pride of place, not just in business but in the social context too, as very visible global symbols of soft power projection. The two airlines could not be more similar and yet more different at the same time in their operating style and in many ways reflect the ethos of their respective owner countries!
Operating out of locations that are 'barely a dot on the world map’, albeit two of the richest countries in the world and widely labeled as being ‘authoritative'; both airlines haven’t let the absence of a domestic market come in the way of their galloping ambitions. And have successfully leveraged their geographical locations into a strategic winning advantage, with matching airport infrastructure in Changi and Hamad International. And not surprisingly, the two airports also compete at the very top of Skytrax's world airport rankings!
Both have had uninhibited global ambitions, to be the most efficiently run, world class airlines and they consistently outclass some of their much older and bigger rivals, that have also been around longer.
But that is also where perhaps the similarity ends and in many ways that boils down to the personalities of the two men leading them (or past participle in the case of Qatar now). And since I have had the opportunity to meet both these gents, Akbar Al Baker in circumstances as described in my previous opinion piece and Goh Choon Phong, more substantially (came across the board room table to shake hands after a meeting) during my years of living and working in Singapore; I can best describe the two personalities with the analogy of a - Maverick vs. Iceman redux!
Akbar Al Baker
In terms of his physical appearance and attributes, Akbar Al Baker (Born: 1962) is very Napoleonic (ambitions to match!), with a presence that despite its short and slim footprint, exudes an aura of haughty authority. A thin shrill voice is possibly the only personality trait that detracts from the overall power-projection, but makes up for it with an aggressive assertiveness, that has to have the final word.
Goh Choon Phong
While Goh Choon Phong (Born: 1963), short as well but slightly stockier in comparison, could easily pass off as an unassuming professor on a college campus. That would be in-sync with his sterling academic achievements too; holding master’s and bachelor’s degrees from MIT. Genteel in his disposition and barely audible at times when he does speak but a sharp and alert listener, who clearly catches and weighs-in on every spoken word, very carefully.
Larger than life, always in the spotlight, irrepressible, irascible and overtly aggressive with a distinct seat-of-the-pants, turn & burn approach, Akbar Al Baker was clearly the Maverick to an unassuming, man-of-few-words, genial, shunning the spotlight, intelligent and subtly articulate Iceman of Goh Choon Phong.
And while Akbar Al Baker's public appearances were carefully and attentively orchestrated, with a bevy of PR staffers setting the stage and whispering around that there boss be addressed as 'Your Excellency', following which Akbar Al Baker would assume control of proceedings like an emperor holding court, invariably launching into a lengthy but tempered monologue. No such fuss for Goh Choon Phong though. His rare public appearances, are more akin to an academic lecture, with slick PowerPoint slides and a plethora of facts & figures; reflecting the true technocrat, that he is.
And the work culture at the two operators, expectedly, took after the personalities of their CEOs in many ways, which while being most visible in the frontend of their operations, was to people like me, even more glaring, when dealing with their personnel at the backend in their respective HQs in Doha and Singapore. While the folks in Doha were, for lack of a better word, slightly haughty in their approach and determined to drive a hard-bargain with vendors in a sort of take-it or leave-it ultimatum; the folks in Singapore while also seeking to drive a hard bargain, were rather more accommodating and amenable.
And like a true adversary that eyes its closest rivals with measured contempt, Akbar Al Baker knew that in Singapore Airlines he had a formidable rival and therefore tried to publicly put them down every time. Like the time he stoked a big controversy, when he claimed that Singapore Changi Airport had stolen the design of the ‘Jewel’ from Hamad International’s design plans of some years ago, besides publicly (and somewhat insolently) asserting that Qatar Airways was "most definitely" better than Singapore Airlines, in an interview to Singaporean daily, Straits Times. But Goh Choon Phong, equally combative, rather than taking the bait would rather simply play Iceman - "ice cold .. no mistakes .. just wears you down to get bored and frustrated .. do something stupid and he's got you! "
Reel life uncannily mirrors real life here, as Iceman quietly walks away with the trophy while Maverick’s shenanigans add up to ensure he falls out of the race. It will be hugely interesting to see what the Skytrax World Airline rankings throw up this time in 2024, particularly with Maverick not around.
Postscript
At the time of publishing this article, it was known that Qatar Airways had pipped Singapore Airlines to the second spot in the 'Skytrax World's Best Airlines' ranking for 2024. Again, reel life mirrors real life as Maverick does walk away with the bigger prize in the final act!
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