Aviation Connect - The ASA Leadership Forum - Airline Routes & Ground Services

Hassan El-Houry

Menzies Aviation

Hassan El-Houry is a business executive, emerging markets thought leader, and Chairman of Menzies Aviation - the world leader in aviation services. He previously headed National Aviation Services (NAS) as Group CEO, which was combined with Menzies Aviation following an acquisition by NAS’s parent company, Agility. In 2014, the WEF honored him as a Young Global Leader (YGL) for his work in aviation and emerging markets, and he was invited to join the YGL Alumni Advisory Board. During the pandemic, NAS launched the world’s first Covid passport to facilitate travel and offered free online courses to aviation professionals across the globe to help them remain resilient through the crisis.

Gautam Thakkar

Unifi

Gautam has over three decades of diverse global experience serving multiple Boards working with technology platforms, consulting and services businesses across various industries, most recently with Aviation, Insurance and Financial Services. He has worked in start-ups, growth and turnaround environments across large public and PE backed private companies in Asia, Europe and North America. Gautam joined Unifi, as CEO in January 2021. Under his leadership, Unifi has more than doubled in under three years to nearly 40,000 employees and been awarded nearly 200 new contracts to become the largest ground handling and aviation services company in North America. Unifi was also named service leader of the year for 2023 by Ground Handling Worldwide and has also grown significantly, expanding its footprint beyond the United States – with operations in Canada and an acquisition in the UK. Gautam has helped modernize and embrace digital innovations to improve service and safety, earning Unifi the respect and trust of its customers – the airlines and airports. In 2024, he was recognized as a Georgia Titan 100, a program spotlighting top C-level executives across the state.

Steve Allen

dnata

After 15 years at British Airways in various Finance, strategy, commercial and Airport Operations roles Steve Allen joined the Emirates Group in 2008 as Vice President Operations for dnata. Allen then led the Emirates Group internal consulting division for 5 years before taking over as Head of dnata’s UAE Airport Operations in 2016.

Mohammad A. Mazi

Saudi Ground Services

Mohammed Mazi is the Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Ground Services, appointed in September 2024, after serving as Executive Vice President of Finance since January 2020. In his new role, Mohammed continues to drive the company’s transformation, leveraging his strategic leadership and financial expertise to foster growth and innovation across SGS. During his tenure as EVP of Finance, Mohammed played a critical role in shaping and executing SGS’s financial strategies, contributing to revenue growth and instilling a culture of financial acumen throughout the organization. His leadership was instrumental in steering the company towards greater operational efficiency and long-term financial sustainability. Mohammed began his career in 2005 at Aramco, where he advanced through various roles, culminating in his position as Acting Division Head of the Corporate Reports Planning & Performance Management Department. Notably, he led the redesign of Aramco’s corporate performance measurement process and spearheaded the development of the corporate target-setting process for the 2014-2016 business plan – a groundbreaking achievement in the company’s history. He holds an MBA from Texas A&M University and a triple-major bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, and MIS from the University of New Orleans.

Mehmet Tevfik Nane

Pegasus Airlines

Mehmet T. Nane transferred to Pegasus Airlines in March 2016 and served as CEO for 6 years. He has been working as Vice-Chairperson of the Board (Managing Director) at the company since May 2022. Nane is currently Chair of the Board of Governors and Member of the Chair Committee of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Chairman of the Board of the Turkish Private Aviation Enterprises Association (TÖSHİD) and Vice President of Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Civil Aviation Council.

Bilal Ekşi

Turkish Airlines

Bilal Ekşi graduated from Yıldız Technical University, Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, in 1989. He began his career at Turkish State Railways as an Electronics and Communications Engineer and later became Workshop Manager at Istanbul Ulasim A.S., contributing to significant transport projects. From 2003 to 2005, he headed the Overhaul Workshops at Turkish Airlines Inc., overseeing aircraft engine and component maintenance. In 2005, he was appointed Chief Ground Operations Officer, where he improved on-time departure performance. Ekşi served as Chief Production Officer at Turkish Technic (2008-2009), General Manager of Cyprus Turkish Airlines (2010), and Executive Vice President at Turkish Engine Center (2010-2011). In April 2011, he became Director General of Civil Aviation, helping Turkey rejoin the ICAO Council after 66 years. On October 21, 2016, he was appointed CEO and continues to serve as CEO and Board Member.

Dave Dorner

Çelebi Aviation

Dave Dorner officially took on the role of Chief Executive Officer at Çelebi Aviation Holding in the beginning of 2017, following a period of half a year in charge as acting CEO. He is also working as an Operating Partner of Actera Group. Prior to joining Actera, Mr. Dorner was the Regional Head of Live Nation Entertainment and the CEO of Biletix, the largest event ticketing company in Turkey with more than 3 million annual ticket sales, which he co-founded in 2000 and later sold to Live Nation Entertainment in 2006. Prior to Biletix, Mr. Dorner had a 10 year tenure with Monitor Group where he also started his career. Mr. Dorner received a BA in Finance and Economics from the University of British Columbia.

Jo Alex Tanem

Aviator Airport Alliance

Jo Alex Tanem began his aviation career in the United States as a pilot, holding both CFII (Certified Flight Instructor Instrument) and MEI (Multi-Engine Instructor) certifications. He then spent 18 years with Scandinavian Airlines in various roles, including Ground Handling, Station Management, and Area Management. His international experience includes managing operations in Beijing for Asia and the Pacific, overseeing Southwest Europe and Africa from Paris, and serving as Managing Director for the UK subsidiary in London. Following this, he spent two years as Managing Director for Flight Deck and Cabin Crew recruitment and leasing. For the past eight years, he has been the CEO of Aviator Airport Alliance.

Wilson Kwong

Hactl

Wilson Kwong has been Chief Executive of Hactl since March 2018. Kwong’ s 25-year career with the Jardine Matheson Group has also included seven years with Jardine Aviation Services, where he was involved in passenger and ramp handling activities. Significant initiatives under his leadership have included the introduction of robotics to security, hygiene, spare parts provision and ramp operations; the launch of Hactl’s Integrated Hactl Control Centre and best-in-class Cool Chain Complex; the installation of the handling sector’s first intelligent thermal detection system; and attaining accreditation under all four IATA CEIV programmes (Pharma, Fresh, Live Animals and Lithium Batteries). On the sustainability front, Hactl has now committed to reducing its absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50.4% by 2030 from a 2018 baseline, and to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 50.4% within the same timeframe.

Mohamed Hanno

ASE Group

Mohamed is a experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the airlines/aviation industry and travel industry. He is a board member of Airport Services Association - ASA and a member of the IATA Ground operation Group - GOG. ( GOG IS acting as an advisor to the OPC, IATA management and other relevant IATA bodies on all matters related to the ground operations. It will also be approving changes to the AHM and IGOM ). Mohamed holds skills in negotiation, operations management and tourism. Mohamed is a strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Arts, Department of English Language and Literature, Ain Shams University.

Mark Pilling

Master of ceremonies, ARGS Editor

Mark Pilling is an experienced journalist, editor and publisher covering the global airline and aviation industry for 25 years. In the 1990s and 2000s he was the editor of several leading industry titles, including Airline Business, Airports International and Airport World. He went on to become publisher of the FlightGlobal aviation brands, featuring flightglobal.com, Flight International and Flight Daily News, and helped establish FlightGlobal (now Cirium) as a leading aviation data and information business. Today, Mark is a consulting editor at FlightGlobal, the editor of Airline Routes & Ground Services magazine, a contributing editor at Arabian and African Aerospace and anchor at Times Aerospace TV, and contributing editor for leading aviation sustainability website GreenAir News.

Mehmet Bozdemir

HAVAS

Starting working at Havaş in 1995 after the privatization, Mehmet Bozdemir had held various executive positions at the Main Office, and also at Izmir, Ankara and Antalya stations. Bozdemir started his career in the aviation sector while working at Turkish Airlines. He was then transferred to TAV during the taking over of the operation of Zagreb Airport in 2013. He had worked as the General Manager of Zagreb Airport Ground Handling Services Company during the disincorporation and sales processes. Graduated from the Economy Department of Middle East Technical University, Mehmet Bozdemir re-joined Havaş family in 2015 as the Deputy General Manager responsible from Operations.

Julia Egerer

EASA

Julia Egerer is an aviation professional with 24 years of experience in aviation and EU advocacy. Since 2020, she heads the section at EASA responsible for European aerodrome standards and their implementation across the EU and EASA Member States. This section handles the full scope of the EU's aerodrome safety regulation, covering design and operations of aerodromes. It is also responsible for the Ground Handling roadmap, working on Europe's first Ground Handling safety Regulation in collaboration with stakeholders. Julia joined EASA in 2010 as an air operations rulemaking expert, developing the EU's regulatory framework for safe air operations for both non-commercial and commercial operators. She later managed EASA's stakeholder engagement with the European Commission, Member States, and the aviation industry. Before EASA, Julia worked as an aviation insurance underwriter for Swiss RE in Munich, insuring global commercial airlines and assessing their safety performance. She also served as General Manager for the Association of European Airlines (AEA) in Brussels, focusing on airport infrastructure, passenger facilitation, ground handling, and flight time limitations (FTL). Julia holds a Master in Business Management from the French Business School of Poitiers and an M.A. in European Studies from the University of Osnabrueck. She is fluent in English, German, Spanish, and French.

Henrik Ambak

Conference Chairperson

Henrik Ambak started in freight forwarding, and then moved into ground and cargo handling, before joining Cargolux in 2001, overseeing worldwide ground and cargo operations. Ambak joined Emirates SkyCargo tasked with developing and implementing strategies securing the continued Emirates leadership in service delivery. He managed the airline’s Dubai cargo terminals at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central, cargo handling and trucking suppliers, standards and procedures, special load engineering and load mastering and IT systems usage used to facilitate and support the SkyCargo business. From December 2023 Ambak retired from full time work.

Clemence Routaboul

Steer Group

Clémence is an Associate Director at Steer with 20 years’ experience. She is an expert in aviation issues and leads Steer’s Policy and Regulatory practice. She advises the private sector as well as public sector clients (policy-makers and regulators) across the entire aviation-value chain on issues focussing on air transport economics and financials, governance and performance, competition, ground handling, connectivity, Single European Sky cost and capacity, aviation sustainability, airport slots as well as other relevant areas including passenger rights or social aspects of transport.

Richard Prince

CEO, Aviapartner

Richard Prince is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Aviapartner Group. The Aviapartner Group is the leading independent ground handling service provider in Europe. They deliver safe, reliable, and on-time airport operations for more than 100 million passengers per year cross 51 airports in France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, and The Netherlands. Aviapartner is headquartered at Brussels National Airport in Belgium, the capital of the European Union. Prior to joining Aviapartner, Prince led the Etihad Airport Services Ground Handling Company at Abu Dhabi International Airport. He has worked in the Aviation Sector for over 12 years including leading roles running Airport Operations at some of the UK’s leading airports including London Gatwick, Manchester, and London Stansted.

Mayur Patel

OAG

Mayur (Mac) Patel is the Regional Director, JAPAC, at OAG, the leading global provider of digital flight information. Based in Singapore, he is responsible for business development and leading the sales organisation in the region. Prior to joining OAG, Mac was Head of Regional Sales, ASPAC, Middle East and North Africa at Amadeus where he was responsible for their Travel Intelligence business. He spent over seven years at IATA, in a variety of roles focussed on aviation data solutions and services. He holds a Bachelor of Business (tourism management major) from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Danny Vranckx

Aviaco GSE

Danny Vranckx is one of the partners and current Chief Executive Officer of AVIACO GSE, one of the largest companies supplying used and refurbished ground support equipment (GSE) for the aviation sector in more than 150 countries across the world. Danny has got extensive experience in the field of aviation due to his more than 30 years working in this sector, initially as a technical engineer and afterwards as a Sales Manager. During all these years Danny has travelled over the five continents meeting different kind of customers and understanding different requirements in the area of ground support equipment, which has provided him with great expertise, perspective and technical knowledge to offer the customers exactly what they need.

Wolfgang Fasching

HiSERV GmbH

Wolfgang Fasching has over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry and is currently employed at HiSERV GmbH working as Head of Sales and Head of Austrian Branch Office. Wolfgang is also the Founder and Owner of AGORA Consulting e.U., running this consultancy since May 2019. Before this, Wolfgang held various management positions at Vienna International Airport, such as Managing Director - LION Loadcontrol International Sk, Managing Director - VPHS / Vienna Passenger Handling Services, and SVP Ground Handling.

Marc Delvaux

Independent

Marc Delvaux was CEO and Chairman of TCR, a leader in GSE solutions, for 25 years, organizing several LBOs with private equity and infrastructure funds. Currently, he invests in the aviation industry (private jets, MRO, etc.) and advises top-tier funds interested in industry investments.

Glyn Hughes

TIACA

Dawit Woubishet Teklemariam

FIATA

Dawit Woubishet has served as the Chair of the FIATA Airfreight Institute (AFI) since 2021. He is the Director of WoubGet Holdings, overseeing a diverse group of companies specializing in transportation, logistics, and modern service provision. With over two decades of experience in high-profile executive roles, Dawit is known for his effective leadership, integrity, and strategic decision-making. He has a proven record of successful startup financing, mergers and acquisitions, and growth management. Dawit is also dedicated to team building and talent development, believing in teamwork and channeling human capital. He serves on several boards, including the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders & Shipping Agents Association and the Ethiopian Management Professionals Association. Dawit has received numerous certificates and awards for his professional achievements and holds an MBA in Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

Kai Domscheit

CHI Deutschland Cargo Handling GmbH

For over seven years, Kai Domscheit has been a young, passionate, and noteworthy leader in Europe’s leading air cargo hub located in Frankfurt airport, Germany. You may know him from his work as CEO at CHI Deutschland Cargo Handling GmbH, but Kai can also be credited with contributions to exponentially grow and transform the company’s group revenue from 20 million€ to well over 150 million€ in less than seven years, making it the largest ground handler by tonnage in FRA three years in a row. He has been recognized by his disruptive hands-on management style without being afraid to take calculated risk. Kai is responsible for the group’s strategy as well as the implementation of the digitalization of the group’s business models. He currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany with his wife Adrienne and two children. When he is not busy with disrupting the air cargo industry, you can find him on the local golf courses or hunting in the nearby woods.

Andy Popovich

Ventus

I am the founder of Ventus, the Atlanta-based investment and asset management firm focused on air cargo and energy transition infrastructure. I am passionate about air cargo and as an investment philosophy, I favor long term strategies involving deep and sustainable transformations, extracting maximum value for stakeholders and communities. My air cargo investment strategy goes back to 2017 when I started amassing expertise from previous successful platforms with the aim of creating a global asset-based platform. In 2018 I teamed up with Oaktree Capital Management (OCM) who committed €200 million of equity to fund a pan-European air cargo investment strategy. The slow deal flow and the Pandemic dampened OCM’s aviation appetite, and in 2020 I saw an opportunity to take the strategy forward and founded Ventus. In April 2021, Ventus successfully acquired, together with a Macquarie backed Singapore fund, Skyport a.s., the leading air cargo company in Czech Republic and Slovakia. This complex transaction is comprised of handling operations run by almost 200 employees in a 20,000 sqm semi-automated terminal at Prague airport. Since the acquisition, I acted as de-facto Chairman and part-time CEO/COO. I have been running a thorough ‘hands-on’ transformation of the company. Today, Skyport’s market share is growing both in Prague and Bratislava and the company is currently one of the most efficient and modern air cargo handlers in Europe. The investment team at Ventus has developed an extensive knowledge of the air cargo market, both at real infra level and air cargo handling operations. We are leveraging the experience gained by further investing through either developments or acquisitions. Bio and Professional Experience Born in Bucharest, Romania, I studied civil engineering at Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest. After graduating in 2000, I worked as a structural engineer in Dublin, and London, and have been part of project teams of some landmark projects across the UK and Ireland (HS1, Heathrow T5, Wembley Stadium, The Shard). I started in the property industry with Multiplex and Brookfield in London in 2005 and subsequently started my own firm that went on to manage and develop large retail and residential projects in Europe. In 2010, I moved to the US where I focused on sponsoring investment strategies in real estate and infrastructure. I reside in Atlanta and London, holding US, British and Romanian citizenship and divide my time between the portfolio companies and offices in Prague, Zurich and Atlanta.

Joep Bruijs

Cargolux

Joep Bruijs, a Dutch national, has a rich background in airfreight. After graduating from university, he began his career at KLM Cargo in sales. Following the merger with Air France Cargo, he held various management positions in Stockholm and Bangkok. Later, he joined DB Schenker as VP of Airfreight for the Netherlands and subsequently for the Benelux region. In 2021, Bruijs became the Senior Vice President of Global Logistics at Cargolux. He is passionate about uniting people with a focus on business improvement and innovation. Bruijs is married and has two daughters.

Lionel Van Der Walt

Nallian

Lionel van der Walt is a dynamic global executive with over 20 years of leadership experience driving growth and transformation across industries. Currently serving as Chief Commercial Officer at Nallian, he brings a unique blend of operational expertise and strategic vision, a proven hands-on strategist with a track record of leading exceptional value at high-tech, hyper-growth startups and international nonprofit associations. Prior to Nallian, Lionel held C-suite roles at Raft, PayCargo, the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) and Cargo Network Services Corp. (CNS), a subsidiary of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). His career also includes over a decade at IATA in various leadership roles spanning Southern Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, and a foundational start in the South African Air Force. Passionate about developing high-performance teams and fostering innovation, Lionel is a champion of collaboration, partnerships and diversity. Having worked and lived in South Africa, Spain, the United Sates and the United Kingdom, he has a deep understanding of international markets and multicultural environments that enables him to navigate and solve complex global business challenges. Lionel holds an MBA from Milpark Business School and began his career as an Air Traffic Controller and Aircraft Maintenance Technician.

Olivier Bijaoui

OB Invest

Olivier Bijaoui turned small cargo handling company SFS, now Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), into the largest cargo company in the globe and second largest ground handling company in the world. Between 2004 and 2016 he was Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of WFS. On leaving in 2016, the company had 18,000 employees, was present at 188 airports in 22 countries, serving 300 airlines, handling of four million tonnes of cargo and 50 million passengers per annum. Since leaving Bijaoui has been the President and the Owner of OB Invest.

Matt Petot

Cargo Ai

Matt Petot’s career has always been focused on logistics, airfreight and innovation. Starting with DB Schenker in Australia, followed by positions in Air France KLM Cargo and Martinair based in New York and Paris, and finally Dyson in Singapore these experiences were integral to setting his sights on transforming the air cargo industry through innovation and digitalization. Matt also founded two other start ups in Singapore before creating CargoAi in 2019 which is disrupting airfreight procurement and sales processes for all industry players through providing customer centric digital solutions

Fabio Gamba

Airline Catering Association (ACA) & Airport Services Association (ASA)

Fabio Gamba is a seasoned manager in Air Transport, with more than 20 years in the industry. Gamba started his career at the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) upon his return to Geneva in the late 90s, then joined The Boeing Company as a Deputy Director Air Traffic Management in Brussels. Gamba proceeded with the position of Deputy SG of the now defunct Association of European Airlines (AEA), before leading the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) during six years until 2016. He is currently managing two Associations in parallel, namely the Airline Catering Association (ACA) based in Belgium, and the Airport Services Association (ASA) based in Switzerland.

Monika Mejstrikova

IATA Montreal

Monika joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2008 and as of July, 2021 holds the position of Director, Ground Operations. She oversees the entire portfolio of ground operations, baggage operations, and management of IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO). Monika was born in Czech Republic and spent her past 16 years working and living in Montreal, Canada. Prior her role in Ground Operations, she was responsible for performance oversight of IOSA and ISAGO auditors and Audit Organizations (AOs) and was driving digital transformation of audit programs. Monika was also involved in the development of the ISAGO program since its inception and actively contributed to the development of the ISAGO standards, program requirements, auditors’ training and the launch of the IATA Charter of Professional Auditors (CoPA). Between 2012 and 2018 she was in charge of the ISAGO audit program’s management in the capacity of Head, Ground Operations Audits. Monika’s professional expertise consists of ground operations and quality-safety management experiences. Before joining IATA, Monika worked at various operational and management positions in Czech Airlines where she completed several code-share and external provider’s audits in the scope of IOSA and ISAGO.

Warwick Brady

Swissport International

Warwick Brady was appointed President & CEO of Swissport International as of 1 May 2021. Prior to joining Swissport, Warwick was the CEO of Esken Limited, formerly Stobart Group, a British infrastructure, aviation and energy company with operations in the UK and Ireland. He served as Chief Operating Officer at easyJet for nearly eight years and was part of the leadership team that transformed the airline into a FTSE 100 business. His previous roles include the posts as Chief Executive Officer of Mandala Airlines in Indonesia, Chief Operating Officer at Air Deccan/Kingfisher in India and Deputy Operations Director at Ryanair plc. He previously held board positions at Airline Group and NATS and was Deputy CEO of Buzz.

Olivier Veyrac

Cargo Ai

Serkan Eren

MNG Airlines

In 1997, Serkan Eren started to work in the logistics sector and accomplished in road, air cargo, integrator, courier, logistics,sales, forwarding, airline senior management levels in Danzas and DHL Express in Turkiye and various countries in Europe and Middle East. After returning back to his home country, Serkan joined MNG Airlines in 2010. Since 2014, he has been working as Ground Operations Director. Serkan has over 25+ years of senior leadership experience in logistics, forwarder, airline, sales, ground / cargo handling , aircargo processes at aviation industry and 10+ years of MNG Airlines experience. In addition to his roles at MNG Airlines he is a board member of UTIKAD (Turkish Forwarding and Logistics Association), Vice President of the Turkish Air Cargo Committee. He holds various positions such as at FIATA Advisory Body on Safety and Security (ABSS) and Airfreight Institute (AFI), Representing FIATA on European Union DG TAXUD ICS2 Release2 Team and at IATA Ground Operations Safety&Security Working Group Member etc.. He is also an instructor of "Airline Transport Operations" in FIATA Diploma Program and provides several trainings at various universities. Serkan Eren is married and has twins.

Ryan Abram

dnata

Ryan joined dnata as Airport Operations COO in 2022, and is responsible for the development, implementation, and performance management of dnata’s global airport operations strategy. This encompasses safety and quality assurance, achievement of KPIs, and continuous improvement of operational processes and systems, to ensure dnata’s ground and cargo handling operations are standardised, consistent, and deliver ‘most admired’ performance worldwide. Ryan began his career at British Airways, holding several commercial and operational management roles before moving to Emirates Airline in 2018 to manage airport operations across Australasia, North America, UK & Ireland.

Atilla Korkmazoglu

Celebi Aviation

Atilla Korkmazoglu is current Chairman of ASA. Korkmazoglu has 30 years experience in the Ground Handling Industry and took several operational ad executive roles at Celebi Group. He is currently President for Ground Handling & Cargo (EMEA) for Celebi.

Thomas Konietzko

ASA

Ariaen Zimmerman

ASA

Ariaen Zimmerman brings a lot of experience in Aviation and Logistics to his role as Head of Operations and Programs at the Airport Services Association. Over the years, he's shaped key account programs at major air carriers and played a pivotal role in significant transitions at IATA's Cargo iQ. Ariaen's dedication to sustainability and ethical business practices led him to found his other business: neAira Executive Performance, where he supports businesses in addressing leadership challenges. An industry expert, he is also an educator, having taught Marketing at a Dutch University.

Esad Cakici

easie by ICRON

As VP of Operations at easie by ICRON, Esad leads the growth of ICRON’s aviation solutions, driving operational and commercial success across Air Cargo, Ground Operations and MRO. He oversees strategic initiatives that address the complex needs of the aviation sector, leveraging his extensive experience in aviation technology to drive operational improvements. His leadership ensures that ICRON’s solutions align with industry demands, fostering sustainable growth and enhancing performance across global airline operations.

Dr. Emre Serpen

TroyAvi Aviation Consultants

Dr Serpen provides business and digital strategy and transformation expertise. He established and led aviation practices for leading business consulting and digital transformation companies in US, Europe and Middle East. As an airline executive he led strategy and transformation activities reporting to CEO and the board. Over the past 40 years he worked with 60+ airlines and airports and logistics companies in 50+ countries. He is focused on development executable strategies and execution in both business and digital transformation, developed process and performance management models implemented in multiple clients. As a former Air cargo executive he successfully implemented digitisation programs achieving lead time reductions and productivity improvements. Emre is the co-founder and chief executive of TroyNet, company established in 2021 for the implementation and management executive management of the Turkiye's first airport community platform for digitisation of air cargo logistics between stakeholders including freight forwarders, trucking and ground handling companies, airlines, customs brokers, customs and payment gateways. TroyNet works closely with IGA and Kale Logistics in execution.

Darryl Dowd

Airports Council International (ACI) World

Darryl Dowd is the Vice President of Safety, Security, and Operations at ACI World. With over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry, Darryl has held various executive roles at airports, gaining expertise throughout his career in regulatory compliance, terminal and airfield operations, and strategic planning. He holds a master’s degree in aviation management. At ACI World, Darryl leads advocacy and industry engagement initiatives, focusing on airport slots, safety, security, and operational best practices.

Naif Jumah

Aerospace Jet Group

Naif Jumah is a visionary serial entrepreneur with 26 Years’ experience in Aviation industry, Founder and Group CEO of AEROSPACE JET Group and QIMA Travel DMC with in-dept and strong knowledge of Aviation including but not limited to strategic planning, leadership, Aircraft Operational Management, Customer Service Player, VIP Travel and Tourism Management and many leadership roles in the aviation industry. Naif efforts have been focused for more than a decade on helping revolutionize the aviation and tourism sectors. With innovative vision, driven forward customer-centric strategies that align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, aiming to enhance both industries and ensure their competitiveness in the international market. Our biggest achievements as a group, we have a culture of building strong business relationships and delivering value to our clients. This trend has been evident since the inception of our organization back in 2011 and we continue to deliver premium quality services to our clients and industry partners.

Mukesh Mudholkar

Kale Logistics Solutions

Mukesh Mudholkar, with over three decades of experience in the aviation and logistics sectors, currently spearheads the GALAXY platform at Kale Logistics Solutions. This cutting-edge, cloud-based digital platform is meticulously crafted to optimise cargo operations, thereby bolstering visibility and operational efficiency. GALAXY has achieved widespread implementation at airports across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the United States, catering to international, domestic, and courier lines of business. Mukesh's professional journey commenced at Air India in India, followed by a tenure at Singapore Airlines, where he oversaw passenger and cargo operations in Saudi Arabia. His tenure with esteemed Ground Handling Agents (GHAs) and General Sales Agents (GSAs) broadened his expertise across diverse geographies and facets of the air cargo business. Having transitioned into the IT industry nearly two decades ago, Mukesh amalgamates profound, hands-on expertise in air cargo with a forward-thinking technological approach. He ardently advocates for innovation, firmly believing that while the industry has made significant strides, harnessing evolving technologies is imperative to expedite growth and unlock its full potential.

Didier Steullet

Nahco Aviance

Didier is an experienced aviation manager, having started his career in 1981 as an apprentice with Swissair, working mainly in Geneva, but also, London, Dusseldorf, and Dubai, before participating to the development of Swissport. He was first sent to open Swissport Do Brazil in Sao Paulo and then, for 7 years, was part of the management of Havas in Turkey, being their COO for a few years. He then had the same role for Swissport France and back to Geneva in 2005, he worked for Geneva Airport Management, mainly taking care of the ASQ program before taking up the role of Country Manager for Veolia Transport in Switzerland (public transportation and coach services). In 2016 he joins Swissport again, firstly send to Saudia Arabia before asked to open and manage Swissport Oman for 5 years. He stayed in Oman an additional year to guide Transom Handling on a transformation journey. Back in Geneva, he open his own consulting firm, Swiss Airports Services Consulting (SASC) with which one he got a mandate in Nigeria for Nahco Aviance, even now acting as their COO since June 2023.

Selim Sarı

TAV Technologies

Selim Sarı is an experienced Product and Business Development Expert with over 20 years in innovative travel technologies. Currently serving as a Senior Product Architect at TAV Technologies, he has a strong track record of developing cutting-edge airport management and passenger handling systems. He has also co-founded Traweller, a common-use mobile self-service solution, and played a key role in several innovative projects that have transformed the passenger experience. His expertise spans product development, operations management, business strategy, and client engagement, with notable achievements. Selim’s career also includes roles at Turkish Airlines, where he led operational excellence initiatives that improved efficiency and reduced turnaround times, and İGA Airport Operations, where he managed the complex development of one of the world's largest passenger terminal facilities. Selim holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and brings an entrepreneurial, forward-thinking approach to product development. His interests include industrial product design, following technological innovations, and staying engaged with emerging trends in automation and robotics in the travel industry.

Valerie Germanon

easyJet

Valerie Germanon is a highly motivated and visionary leader with extensive experience in airport ground operations and customer service. Known for her strategic thinking and energetic approach, Valerie has a proven track record of delivering results and driving cultural change within teams. As Head of Ground Operations at easyJet, she oversees the performance of key airports across France, the Netherlands, and Denmark, ensuring safe and efficient services while fostering customer-centric values. Valerie’s expertise includes managing multi-country operations, building strong industry relationships, and advocating for her airline's operational and financial interests at various airports.

Simon Cox

easyJet

Simon Cox is an accomplished procurement professional with extensive experience in managing strategic supplier relationships and operational contracts within the aviation industry. Known for his expertise in negotiating and influencing at CEO and Board levels, Simon has a proven track record in change management and developing world-class partnerships. Currently, he serves as Director of Ground Operations at easyJet, overseeing significant procurement activities and airport relationships with multi-billion-pound budgets. Simon's career includes notable roles such as Director of InFlight Retail and Director of Airport Development and Procurement at easyJet, and various leadership positions at British Airways. He is skilled in supplier relationship management, strategic sourcing, and fostering collaborative, high-impact partnerships that drive organisational success.

Speakers

Aviation Connect – The ASA Leadership Forum