Red Arrows pilots set to make Dubai businesses into high flyers

Justin Hughes, managing director of the company, is a former pilot with Britain's Royal Air Force as well as the Red Arrows, one of the world's premier aerobatic teams. He will visit Dubai next month to give an insight to BBG members into how hard-won experience of leadership, teamwork and execution gained in the dynamic pressured world of fast-jet aviation can help businesses achieve outstanding results.

Hughes is speaking at a meeting of the BBG's Entrepreneurs Special Interest Group on February 6. The group is aimed at British people who have invested their own money in a business in Dubai and looks at issues facing small businesses setting up in the Emirates.

Mission Excellence is a UK-based team of former Red Arrows pilots, fighter pilots and training experts, who seek to draw out the lessons learned during their high-octane activities and apply them to businesses aspiring to high performance. It has already enjoyed success with global companies such as IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, RBS and 3M and is now looking to develop its business across the UAE and the region.

Its training seminars are based on concepts developed by fighter pilots and begin with a presentation looking at team-working, performance under pressure and leadership, which is designed to engage and inspire delegates. This is then followed by a mission planning exercise which is in turn used as a vehicle to introduce debriefing techniques used by the Red Arrows.

"The challenges faced in the world of the Red Arrows and the corporate world, are very similar in many ways," said Hughes. "The concept of thinking through and planning for a problem, implementing a solution and reacting to change along the way is the same in theory for business teams and fighter pilots. Mission Excellence has a clear and unique perspective on doing things differently and better with an emphasis on delivering results. De-briefing is our most powerful tool for improving performance and is the single most important factor in our success."

Hughes served in the RAF as Deputy Flight Commander flying the Tornado F3 for six years before going on to join the Red Arrows as Deputy Team Leader for three years. He performed in over 250 displays worldwide and co-ordinated overseas tours in direct support of the UK government.

During Mission Excellence seminars, Hughes and his team take to the stage in their flight suits and give a presentation, featuring actual footage taken in-cockpit during a display. Working in teams, the audience then takes part in a challenging interactive mission planning exercise.

Hughes said: "As fighter pilots we have a wealth of experience working in teams across multiple disciplines, geographical or cultural boundaries. A typical fighter mission consists of 60 or 70 aircraft taking off from different bases, with different roles, nationalities, cultures and languages. We have to make that group work as a cohesive team aligned to the delivery of a single goal and get it right first time in a very demanding environment. The ability to leverage the potential of that multi-disciplinary team is highly relevant to a majority of large organisations."

John Martin St Valery, chairman of the BBG's Entrepreneurs Special Interest Group and partner in the Dubai-based Links Group, said: "This is an ideal opportunity for members to learn about Mission Excellence's innovative services and for the company to gauge potential market interest in the region. It is always of benefit for BBG members to be introduced to new companies entering the market."

The event, which takes place at 7.30pm on February 6 in the Fairmont Dubai, is one of a regular programme of meetings held by the Entrepreneurs Special Interest Group (SIG). The BBG also has a range of other SIGs covering fields including banking and finance, construction, education and insurance.