Strategy Summit Speakers
Pierre Régis
Managing Director, Marseille-Provence Airport
Graduated from Marseille Business School, Pierre Regis holds an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix Arizona. He joined Marseille Provence Airport in 1987 as Sales Manager and became Managing Director in 1990. Prior to this, Pierre Regis worked ten years for two multinational corporations (Technal France and ADT USA) as Branch Manager in France and the U.S.A. He is also member of the board of Libreville airport (Gabon), Abidjan airport (Ivory Coast) and Brazzaville / Pointe Noire airports (Congo) in West Africa. He was also chairman of ALFA ACI France, the branch of ACI French speaking Airports from 2002 until 2005. He joined ACI Europe as member of the board in September 2008.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Frédéric Gagey
Chairman & CEO, Air France
Frédéric Gagey was born in Vesoul in 1956. A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and the ENSAE School of Economics, Statistics and Finance, he holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the Université de Paris I. Mr. Gagey began his career at the French Bureau of Statistics (INSEE) and in the Ministry of Finance. Between September 1994 and April 1997, he held the positions of Vice President Budget and Control at Air Inter. Following the merger between Air Inter and Air France in April 1997, Mr. Gagey was appointed Vice President for privatisation and financial communication at Air France. In June 1999, Mr. Gagey took up the position of financial director. He joined the KLM management committee on 1st January 2005 before becoming Executive Vice President Financial Affairs KLM N.V. In 2012, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer at Air France. He has been Chairman and CEO of Air France since 1st July 2013.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Fernando Estrada
Strategy, Alliance and Business Development Director, Vueling Airlines
Fernando currently holds the position of Strategy, Alliance and Business Development Director at Vueling Airlines, where reporting to the CEO, is responsible for business planning, strategy, alliances and corporate development. Prior to that he held responsibilities in network planning, airport planning and slots at Vueling Airlines and led the team responsible of the merger between Vueling and clickair where he enrolled in 2007.
Before working for the airline industry, Fernando made a full range of strategy consulting work for 7 years in more than 8 countries.
Fernando has a BS degree in Telecommunication Engineering and a Master at IESE Business School.
Participating Talks and Sessions
John Weatherill
Network & Schedule Planning, WestJet
John Weatherill leads WestJet's network planning, schedule planning and schedule publications teams. He holds responsibility for evaluating new route opportunities, creating and implementing the airline’s network development strategy, and developing/ publishing current and future schedules.
Before joining WestJet, Mr. Weatherill was Executive Vice President, Route Development at InterVISTAS Consulting. He held responsibility for the management of the firm’s air service development practice, with projects in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North America. He represented airport and tourism clients in air service presentations and incentive negotiations with airlines throughout the world.
Mr. Weatherill has delivered keynote addresses on airline network planning, air service development, incentive best practices and air bilateral policy at numerous industry events, and has led route development workshops in several countries. He is a contributing author to the Air Service Development Manual for Regional Development Agencies and the Journal of Airport Management, and is a guest lecturer at Thames Valley University in London.
Mr. Weatherill holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Vijay Poonoosamy
Vice President International & Public Affairs, Etihad Airways
Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy, a national of Mauritius, is a barrister (Middle Temple) with a law degree from the University of Nottingham, a Masters degree in International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Post Graduate Diploma in Air & Space Law from the London Institute of World Affairs and a Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.
After practising as an Aviation Lawyer in London, Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy joined Air Mauritius in 1988 as Director, Legal and International Affairs and was later appointed its Managing Director. In June 2004 he was appointed Executive Chairman of Airports of Mauritius. He resigned in August 2005 to join Etihad Airways where he is the Vice President International Affairs.
Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy was the Chairman of the historical 1994 World-wide Air Transport Conference of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). He was the Chairman of the 1999 ICAO Special Group on the Modernisation of the Warsaw Convention. He was also Chairman of the Air Transport Committee of the African Civil Aviation Commission, Chairman of the Legal Advisory Council of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Chairman of IATA’s Task Force on International Aviation Issues. He was also the Moderator of the September 2008 ICAO Symposium on the Economics of Airports and Air Navigation Services.
Mr Vijay Poonoosamy is the Vice Chairman of the ICAO Special Committee on Aviation Security Conventions and a member of the Industry Affairs Committee of IATA.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Tamur Goudarzi Pour
Director, Network Planning, Lufthansa
Since November 2010 Tamur Goudarzi Pour is Director for Network Planning Hub Munich and Intercontinental Services Düsseldorf of Lufthansa Passenger Airlines. He holds an MPhil. in International Relations from Cambridge University and entered Lufthansa on a fast-track trainee program. Tamur Goudarzi Pour was promoted in November 2000 to become Senior Manager Alliances and Cooperations at Lufthansa's Area Management Africa, Middle East and Southeast Europe, which is based in Dubai. In 2003 he moved to Tehran to become General Manager Iran. In 2007, Tamur Goudarzi Pour was promoted to become Director for Central and Eastern Europe. Being based in Budapest, he covered an area of 15 countries in the region and represented the Lufthansa Group Airlines, i.e. Lufthansa Passenger Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. After moving to Munich, and in addition to his current Job, in 2012 Tamur Goudarzi Pour has been appointed Liaison Officer to the Lufthansa Passage CFO for the LH Group restructuring program SCORE at the Hub Munich. From May 2014, Tamur has been appointed the Vice President Sales and Services, Southeast Europe, Africa and Middle East for Lufthansa.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Josef Formosa Gauci
CEO, Malta Tourism Authority
Mr Josef Formosa Gauci assumed the responsibilities of Chief Executive of the Malta Tourism Authority on the 16th June, 2008. He was educated at De La Salle College (Malta) and Stonyhurst College (UK), and obtained a BA (Hons) Economics Degree from Nottingham University.
Mr Formosa Gauci started his career with the renowned firm of PriceWaterHouse in London and then in Malta, in the Audit and Business Services Department. He is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ACA), and a Fellow of the Malta Institute of Accountants (FIA).
In 1997, Mr Formosa Gauci joined Galaxy Hotel, becoming General Manager in 1999. In November 2004, he was employed by the Farsons Group in the capacity of General Manager of Trident Developments ltd., which company is responsible for the property portfolio of the Group.
Mr Formosa Gauci was a Council member of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) from 2002 to 2004; the Association’s Vice-President from 2005 to 2006, and President as of November 2006 until his appointment as Chief Executive of the Malta Tourism Authority. He has been a member of the Malta Tourism Authority’s Board of Directors during his tenure as MHRA President, as well as a Member of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD).
Participating Talks and Sessions
Carol Hewitt
Director, Route Development, Edmonton International Airport
Carol Hewitt is the Director, Route Development for the Edmonton International Airport. In this role Carol is responsible for utilizing accurate market data, demand forecasting, and economic impact analyses work with current and prospective airlines to increase the number of flights and non-stop destinations available from Edmonton.
Carol has been with the Edmonton International Airport since January 2007 but has more than 25 years of travel industry management experience. With a successful track record in sales in the retail, wholesale and airline sectors, Carol has built a solid reputation for her analytical approach and results-oriented management style.
Before joining Edmonton, Carol held the position of Director, Revenue Management at Air Canada Vacations. During her nine-year career with Air Canada, Carol also held the positions of General Manager Leisure Sales North America, Six Sigma Black Belt, and Manager Corporate Sales Strategy at Air Canada.
Carol is currently the Chair of the Air Policy Committee for the Canadian Airports Council and also sits on the ACI-NA Marketing Communications Committee.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Mark Anžur
President of the Management Board & CEO, Adria Airways
Mark Anžur joined Adria Airways in April 2012 as a strategic sales and marketing specialist with experience in several multinational enterprises. A graduate of economics from the University of Ljubljana (first degree in 1996 and masters in 2001), Mark started his career in sales and marketing in the FMCG sector, where he managed the turnaround, brand development and eventual sale of Intertrade d.d.. After a short period working as a head-hunter, in 2003 he moved to Bramac, a part of leading global producer of roofing material as sales and marketing director with responsibility for the Slovenian market. In 2004, he was promoted to General Manager of Bramac Slovenia and managed its successful turnaround to become one of most lucrative companies in the country (ROE 40%). In 2006, Mark took responsibility for several of Bramac’s international markets. In 2011, he joined A.T. Kearney as a Strategy, Sales and Marketing specialist, where he lead several projects focused on the development of strategy, effective sales and marketing and turnaround management for large international clients in Slovenia, UAE and other countries.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Clayton Ulisses Begido
Director of Commercial Strategy, Flynas
Clayton Ulisses Begido is Brazilian, 37 years old with 13 years’ experience in aviation. He has Worked for some of the biggest airlines in Latin America (TAM and GOL) in the Network & Schedule Planning Department and has spent the last 5 years in LCC’s around the world as a Director of Commercial Strategy that include Revenue and Network Management. The second time in Flynas, 4 years in the Middle East.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Didier Scaillet
Vice President, Business Development, CLIA
Didier joined CLIA in 2013 and currently serves as Vice-President of Business Development, responsible for CLIA’s Associate Member and Executive Partner programs. Focusing on value creation for CLIA and for the associate members, globally and regionally, Scaillet manages a cohesive and comprehensive global research agenda, including economic impact studies, market profiling and key industry capacity development data. Mr. Scaillet has extensive experience in business and partnership development having served for many years as Chief Development Officer for Meeting Professionals International.
Previously Vice-President of Global Development for MPI, he led the opening of new offices in Singapore and Doha, the launch of MPI first educational conference in the Middle East in April 2008 in Dubai and alliances to create MPI’s first chapters in Asia and Latin America.
From 2000 to 2006, he was Director of European Operations and Global Development. He achieved 20% average annual growth of European membership and a 25% annual growth in revenues. Scaillet was in charge of the team leadership for the European conference and the European Chapter Leaders’ Forum and the establishment of strategic partnerships with supplier organisations.
Didier Scaillet holds a B.Sc. in Hotel & Hospitality Management and a Master Degree in Economics. He is fluent in French and English as well as having a good command of Dutch and German.
Participating Talks and Sessions
John Hanlon
Secretary General, ELFAA
John joined British Airways in 1968 as a graduate trainee and spent 30 years in overseas Regional General Management positions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
His last position with British Airways was as General Manager Africa and the Indian Ocean, based in Johannesburg.
Awarded OBE in 1993 for services to British aviation interests in Nigeria. Joined Flybe in 2000, becoming Director Alliances.
In June 2006 appointed Secretary General of ELFAA – European Low Fares Airline Association, having previously chaired the Airspace Work Group within ELFAA.
ELFAA member airlines carry over 200 million passengers a year, operating a combined fleet of over 800 of the most environmentally-efficient aircraft. Low Fares account for over 43% of point-to-point intra-European traffic, a share forecast to grow to 60% by 2020.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Athar Husain Khan
Chief Executive Officer, AEA
Athar Husain Khan graduated from the University of Leiden with a degree in International Law, and also specialised in Air and Space Law. He subsequently joined the Aeropolitical Division of the Dutch Ministry of Transport as a negotiator of traffic rights and senior policy advisor on various international issues.
He joined the Flight Operations department of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in 1998 where inter alia he was responsible for the regulatory and policy issues surrounding Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. In July 2002 he was appointed Director of Government & Industry Affairs, dealing mainly with infrastructure and environment issues, the Air France – KLM merger and European and international aeropolitical affairs.
In February 2007 he became General Manager Infrastructure at the Association of European Airlines, dealing with value chain issues such as the airline-airport relationship, airport charges, airport capacity, slots, ground handling and social affairs. In 2010 he also assumed responsibility for environment and consumer affairs as General Manager Policy, Environment and Infrastructure.
In June 2011 he was appointed Deputy Secretary General of AEA and as of June 1st 2012 he became the Acting Secretary General. In December 2013 he assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer.
Participating Talks and Sessions
David Huttner
Senior Vice President and Partner, Nyras Aviation Specialists
Former Virgin Blue Airlines director, David Huttner, joined Nyras as Senior Vice President with special responsibilities for business development and project management in April 2010.
David founded Planely Spoken, an aviation and tourism consultancy in 2005, following his career with the Virgin Group. The activities of Planely Spoken are now integrated with the expanded Nyras organisation.
David had previously spent nine years with the Virgin Group, initially with Virgin Express in Europe and latterly with Virgin Blue in Australia where he was one of the original founders of the airline and a member of its executive team. He was an integral part of the Virgin Blue IPO team, an event that produced the best returns of any company in Virgin Group history.
After graduating from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1988, he began working life in the maritime and fuel industries, serving with a number of major companies in the US and the United Arab Emirates.
David joined Virgin Express in Brussels in 1996 as an MBA intern (gaining his degree at INSEAD in France) and rose through various positions to become Deputy Director of Sales & Marketing.
In 2000, he was appointed Head of Commercial for Virgin Blue, becoming one of the three founding officers of the Virgin Group’s new Australian venture. He went on to lead strategy and communications and, subsequently, international development for the carrier. After leaving Virgin, David served on the board of Spanish LCC Vueling during its successful IPO.
David has undertaken business consultancy projects for a range of major aviation industry clients, including Navitaire (Accenture), Macquarie, Jersey Airport, Vueling Airlines, Air Arabia, Air Baltic, Estonian Airways, Jetstar Pacific, Drukair, Kulula-Comair, Royal Jordanian,Virgin Group, IFC (World Bank Group) and Oman Airports.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Gudny Maria Johannsdottir
Manager Business & Routes Development, ISAVIA
Gudny Maria Johannsdottir has been involved in airport operation since 2004. She started in the financial department of Leifur Eiriksson Air Terminal Ltd. as a project manager until 2008. Over the next year her role was a marketing manager and in 2009 she took over as a Director of Business development of the newly established Keflavik Airport Ltd. from 2010 Gudny has been taking care of Route and Business Development for Isavia Ltd. which operates all airport network in Iceland as well as providing Air Traffic Control services. Gudny holds a B.sc degree from Bifrost School of Business in Iceland. She spent one year in Otaru University of Commerce in Hokkaido in Japan as a part of her business degree.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Kjartan Jonsson
Director Network Planning, Icelandair
Kjartan Jonsson holds a Masters Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from Tokyo Institute of Technology. Prior to aviation Kjartan held sales management positions at Iceland Telecom and BellSouth, Shanghai. Kjartan joined Icelandair in 2004, first holding a Market Planning position, he assumed the position of Director Network Planning in 2007. Since 2007 Icelandair has added 7 gateways in N-America and in 2014 flies to 13 N-American airports and 25 in Europe.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Pini Shani
Deputy Director in the Marketing Administration & Director of the Overseas Department, Israel Ministry of Tourism
Pini Shani is the Deputy Director in the Marketing Administration & Director of the Overseas Department and is responsible for the planning and the implementation of the Marketing activity of the Israel Ministry of Tourism around the world.
Mr. Shani has many years of experience in promoting tourism to Israel, including 4 years as Director of the Israel Government Tourist Office of South East USA .
The Israel Ministry of Tourism has 20 offices around the world that promote Israel. The annual marketing budget is approximately 50 million euros. Amongst others, Mr. Shani is responsible for analyzing and developing aviation to Israel.
Mr. Shani was a member of the governmental committee for the negotiations with the EU regarding the "Open Sky" Agreement.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Jeremy Robinson
Legal Director, Hill Dickinson LLP (London)
Jeremy is a lawyer with particular expertise in regulatory and competition law problems in the aviation sector. Formerly a partner at boutique aviation law firm Gates & Partners LLP (London and Brussels), Jeremy joined Hill Dickinson in March 2014 as part of a new aviation law team offering a full legal service to the industry. Jeremy has advised airlines on a whole range of issues from the regulation of airline mergers by the EU; State Aid for regional airports; the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for Aviation; airport charges; predatory pricing; airline ownership and control; consumer law; compliance with competition law and airport regulation.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Jacques Truau
Président, Club de la Croisière, Marseille-Provence Cruise Club
Mr Jacques TRUAU has created the first Cruise Club, Marseille-Provence Cruise Club. From September 1996, He is the President of Marseille- Provence Cruise Club, which gathers the City of Marseille, the Port of Marseille Authority, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Marseille-Provence and the main companies and institution involved in the cruise industry in Marseille. From 2005, he is Honorary Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Marseille-Provence. From December 2008 to Décember 2013, was Vice président of the Board, Grand Port Maritime of Marseille (Marseille Port Authority).
Participating Talks and Sessions
Christian Delom
Director of Strategy and New Technologies, Atout France
Participating Talks and Sessions
Andreas A. Stylianopoulos
President & CEO, Navigator Travel
Participating Talks and Sessions
Erminio Eschena
Managing Director, France, Belgique & Luxembourg, MSC Croisières
Erminio Eschena, 45 years old, was born in Naples (Italy), and Parisian by adoption since 1989. He is a graduate in Political Sciences (IUO, 1996) and in Urban Geography (IUO, 1998). His professional career began as attaché for the French Ministry of Culture and Communications, working on the international deployment of France’s Music Festival. In 1999 he entered Club Med. He was initially responsible for sales development of European markets then became Transport Manager for Italy and Switzerland. In 2006, he was appointed Managing Director for Switzerland.His solid experience in the tourism industry led him to join MSC Cruises in September 2008, steering the company’s strong growth in France, one of the most strategic markets for MSC Cruises, and to increase French passenger volumes for MSC France from 40,000 in 2008 to 150,000 cruisers annually by 2013. European Cruise Council and CLIA spokesperson for France in 2012, Erminio Eschena is a guest lecturer on the French cruise and tourism industry at HEC and ESSEC business schools.