Speakers

Cisse is on the Board of Directors of NAS subsidiaries in the Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, India, Mozambique and Uganda. Cisse has been with NAS since March 2016 as the General Manger of NAS Cote d’Ivoire, handling all NAS operations, functions, personnel and business development in the country. He has over 32 years of experience in the ground handling, passenger handling and other aviation operations in Africa and in his previous position with Menzies Aviation last served as General Manager, Ground Handling, in Johannesburg. Prior to that, he worked as Operations Director at Aviation Handling Services – Ghana. He has also worked in Ghana and Guinee Conakry as a Country Manager for the national carrier where he helped launch the airline, Air Senegal. Cisse holds a Licence Certificate Specialisation in American Civilisation and Literature from the University of Dakar.

Danny is one of the partners and current Chief Executive Officer of AVIACO GSE. Danny has extensive experience in the field of aviation through more than 25 years working in the sector, initially as a technical engineer and afterwards as a Sales Manager. During this time he travelled globally, has meet a wide array of customers and has gained a profound understanding of the different requirements in the area of ground support equipment acquisition.

Henry holds a BSc and a Master's and is an alumni of University of Cape Town’s Programme for management development. Has more than 25 years’ experience in IT, three of which were in the hotel industry, with five years in logistics and 16 in airline IT management. For four years, he was a member of IATA's StB Group and the IATA AIR Think Tank. Henry is also a member of PMI international and the PMI (Kenya) chapter, a member of the Computer Society of Kenya and CIO East Africa. He has been responsible for IT delivery at Kenya Airways since 2009, during which time he has led several IT delivery projects. He has also developed more than three mobile apps and seven websites, amongst many other solutions.

Max joined GHI in 2017 after launching and hosting conference and award events in the UK manufacturing industry. A trained journalist, Max strives to deliver innovative content on stage, online or in print that challenges, educates and entertains. As a non-aviation professional - Max is always eager to don the hi-vis jacket and get out on the apron to experience the everyday challenges facing ground handling businesses and their airline customers. Max graduated as a biochemist from Cardiff University in 2001. He became a NUJ/NCTJ accredited journalist in 2003. Max went on to an award-winning 14 year editorial career including stints at magazines in the UK pub, pharmacy and manufacturing sectors. Outside of work - Max is never far from a book, the fridge or the 5-a-side football pitch.

Markus is an aviation professional with a background in strategic foresight and project management with over ten years' experience in managing multi-disciplinary projects in fields as diverse as engineering, IT, business process optimisation and aviation. He has executed project work in South Africa, Germany, the US, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Angola and Serbia. He holds Electrical Engineering and Project Management undergrad qualifications from CPUT, and a MPhil in Futures Studies from the University of Stellenbosch Business School. Currently he is completing a DBA through Heriot Watt University, where his research topic is focused on aviation in Africa.

Fiona Omondi is a highly accomplished professional with over 11 years’ experience in the aviation industry. As the Chief Strategy Officer for Tradewinds Aviation Services Ltd she is responsible for driving the organization’s strategic growth and regional expansion. Fiona has demonstrated a proven track record of success in developing and executing innovative business strategies. She is a skilled communicator and leader with a passion for motivating and empowering others to achieve their full potential.

Fiona has a deep understanding of the aviation industry and the challenges faced by women, she has a wealth of experience in strategy, project management, marketing, and developing new lines of business across Aviation Training Organizations and Ground Handling and is a sought-after speaker in the aviation industry and has been recognized for her contribution to the field by several prestigious organizations. She is very intentional and committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at the workplace and is a strong advocate of women empowerment. 

 

Winner of the Dorothy Hilbert Chapter Volunteer of the year award 2022, Fiona is the cofounder of Women in Aviation International-Kenya chapter. A non-profit organisation that encourages young women to take up careers in the aviation industry, efforts geared towards bridging the gender and skills gap in the aviation industry. 

As a champion of Gender Diversity and Inclusion Fiona was recently appointed the board of  AFCAC- Women in Aviation Plat foam steering committee and was a nominee of the 2022 IATA Diversity and Inclusion Award under the Highflyer category.

She earned her MBA from the University of Aberdeen-UK and recently completed her leadership course from Harvard University.

Zachary is the dynamic manager driving GLC's Centralised Load Control (CLC) business unit. With 11 years of dedicated service at GLC, Zachary brings a wealth of experience to the table. His expertise spans business development, operational leadership, and strategic enablement. What sets Zachary apart is his innate curiosity about the interplay between people and complex systems, making him a true catalyst for innovation.

I am a Chartered Procurement Professional who is passionate about procurement and who can hit the ground running, delivering immediate value. I have gained multi-sector experience over 20 years across FMCG, FM, Construction and Leisure & Hospitality. Holding senior procurement positions in the UK, Middle East and Asia Pacific has given me exposure to many cultures at a corporate as well as personal level. I am comfortable influencing stakeholders at all levels in an organisation and have delivered savings in excess of £200M.

Max has been a fixture in operations, safety, auditing, training and the airports world for more than 30 years, having worked for major Canadian carriers like Air Canada and Canadian Airlines. He has also worked with several major ground handlers and with the Greater Toronto Airport Authority in its Emergency Planning department. Max's experience in safety, auditing, station management, adult education and international airport operations have all contributed to his present roles. Max was the Chairman of both the IGOM Task Force and the ISAGO Oversight council since their inception until 2018, leading the development of the next generation ISAGO model. He is the president of GAC Aviation Services & Consulting, they are dedicated to delivering solutions to improve Ground Operations in the aviation industry, with a focus on safety, compliance and operational excellence.

Dr Raghunandan Jagdish is an accomplished Technocrat who has a Masters Degree in MECHANICAL ENGINEERING from Texas A&M ans a PhD from France.

Nandan GSE is a leading manufacturer of aviation GSE. Made in India delivered worldwide.