Episode 717

Emirates Skywards Silver Jubilee - 25 Years Celebrating Emirates Loyalty Success (#717)

Published on: 30th October, 2025

This episode is available in audio format on our Let's Talk Loyalty podcast and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.

Paula Thomas here today, hosting perhaps the most special and significant episode of our show for me personally - and I can't imagine a more perfect guest and topic today than the Silver Jubilee of the Emirates Skywards programme - the very programme that inspired my career in loyalty 25 years ago!

To celebrate this incredible milestone, we’ve recorded a VERY special episode which we shot on location for the first time ever.

For those of you watching on Loyalty TV, you will see that I’m sitting in Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai with the busy runway behind me, and I’m joined in person by Dr Nejib Ben Kheder, Head of Emirates Skywards, who will share some of their strategies and successes over the last 25 years as well as what lies ahead for this iconic programme.

It's also my final episode as a host of our show!

Six years after I launched "Let's Talk Loyalty", it’s time today for me to hang up my microphone and leave the hosting side of Let's Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV to our amazing global panel of loyalty marketing professionals.

I hope you enjoy my final show as a host, but don’t worry, I’m still here producing the show and leading the business to bring you even more loyalty marketing insights in both audio and video format in the months and years ahead.

Now, on with today’s interview with Dr Nejib Ben Kheder from Emirates Skywards. 


Show notes:

1) Emirates

2) Emirates Skywards

3) Dr Nejib Ben Kheder

4) Book Recommendation: Blue Ocean Strategy

5) Book Recommendation: Extreme Ownership

6) Book Recommendation: From Strength to Strength

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About the Podcast

Let's Talk Loyalty
“Let’s Talk Loyalty” is an industry podcast for loyalty marketing professionals.

If you work in loyalty marketing, join us every week to learn the latest ideas and marketing insights from loyalty specialists around the world.

Check out our website on: http://www.letstalkloyalty.com/

About your host

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Paula Thomas

Paula Thomas is the Founder and CEO of Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.

Paula Thomas is an award-winning podcaster who founded the “Let’s Talk Loyalty” podcast and business in 2019, and Loyalty TV in 2023.

She has over twenty-five years blue-chip marketing experience, including almost a decade leading consumer loyalty programmes in multiple sectors including telecommunications, the energy sector, banking and airline loyalty programmes.

She is from Ireland and lives in Dubai.

Paula is a former judge for the “International Loyalty Awards”, and the author of the book “Driving Loyalty in Convenience Retail”.

She holds an Executive MBA from Smurfit Business College, one of Ireland’s top universities, and is a “Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional”.

In 2025, she was chosen as the International Loyalty Industry Personality of the Year.