Satish Sethi was born in New Delhi and completed a degree in commerce and business studies at Delhi University, later joining his family’s real estate business. After gaining some business experience, he followed his interest and began working with a local Indian airline. He soon took up a position with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and in 1997 began working in Kuwait and Delhi, holding positions in reservations, airport services, revenue management and marketing.
He joined Emirates in 2001, where he began working in sales and marketing positions in Kuwait, and then later worked in Yemen, where he was eventually posted as country manager in 2007 before taking up a similar role in Bangladesh from 2010.
He was posted to Indonesia, where he served as country manager from 2010, before being transferred to the Philippines in 2016. He was eventually appointed to Tokyo in 2021, where he serves as Emirates’ country manager for Japan.
Did you always want to work in the airline industry?
When I was in high school, I used to always ask a lot of questions and argue with my teachers, so I had one teacher who said I should be a lawyer, so for a while I was planning on being that.
What was your first encounter with Japan?
Japan was always very fascinating to me, and I used to read about it all the time. I also liked to paint and draw, and I remember painting Mount Fuji, without ever having seen the real thing. I finally came to Japan as a tourist in 2019 with my daughter, and we absolutely loved it.
What have you found particularly rewarding in your career?
The most rewarding thing is the experience of working with different cultures and learning from them.
Has anyone inspired you in your life?
I was working in Kuwait once when my car broke down in 55-degree heat, and I was complaining and trying to call my garage, and a rickshaw driver came past pulling a huge load, whistling and looking so chilled-out, and here I was complaining in my luxury car. It teaches you to appreciate things more.
Do you have a personal motto?
While trying to make a living, don’t forget to make a life.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.