Year: 2023

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Brigadier General
Leonardo Blengini

 DINACIA

• MBA “Carlos III University of Madrid”. Spain.

• Logistics Bachelor Degree. Argentinean Aeronautical Institute. Córdoba.

• Danger Goods By Air for the shipper, cargo agents and airline personnel, UN and IATA.

• Peace Operations Course. Spain Army War School.

• Peace Support Course serial PSOC0069. Canada.

• U.S. Naval War College Joint Staff Operations United States Naval War College

• Higher National Defense Course. Air Command and Staff School.

• General Staff Officer

• Graduated from the Military School of Aeronautics

• Training Course for Pilots in the Federative Republic of Brazil

• Basic Instructor Course in International Law of Armed Conflicts. International Committee of the Red Cross

Chris
Branagan

IBS Software

Chris is an experienced CTO and comes to IBS with over 30 years of experience shaping tech strategy and driving large transformation projects. He has worked extensively in scaled organizations with experience covering B2B, B2C and eCommerce. Most recently, Chris was CTO at Hotelbeds Group – a 7 billion Euro global business processing 4 billion searches daily – where he was tasked with merging Hotelbeds, GTA and Tourico into a common trading platform and a consolidated technology footprint. Chris also created and implemented a new operating model for the combined technology teams and drove the transition of the organization to Agile, Cloud & DevOps. Prior to this role, Chris was CTO at Kuoni GTA – a leading travel distribution company – where he led the modernization of the technology stack and brought an integrated approach to digital commerce. Before joining Kuoni, Chris was at Tesco where he led the replacement of Tesco’s direct web platform with a marketplace platform. Chris was also previously CTO at EasyCar (part of the EasyGroup companies).

Christopher
Barks

ICAO

Up to 14 July 2023, Mr. Barks was the Director of Global Strategy and Mission Support in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of International Affairs in Washington, DC. He was responsible for leading the development of a data-informed, agency-wide strategy and measurable business plan targets for FAA global engagement. Prior to this, Mr. Barks was the Manager for ICAO and Global Affairs, leading the team that coordinated U.S. Government positions on ICAO matters and overseeing a Crisis Response Working Group that addressed risk to airlines in conflict zones. In this capacity, he participated in the Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), contributing to the development of guidance to the aviation industry to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. From 2013 to 2019, Mr. Barks served as the Director of the FAA’s Western Hemisphere region.

Based in the U.S. Embassy in Panama, he led FAA Senior Representatives in Miami, Panama, and Brazil and a staff in Washington D.C. to coordinate all FAA international activities with partners in the Americas and the Caribbean.
Prior to joining the Western Hemisphere office, Mr. Barks served from 2008-2011 as the FAA Senior Representative in Brussels, responsible for FAA relationships with EU Institutions and agencies, and with Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. From 2005-2008, he was the FAA Senior Representative to Northern Europe, based at the U.S. Embassy in London. Mr. Barks joined the FAA in 1997, holding positions in the Office of International Aviation and in the Flight Standards Service. Mr. Barks received a Master of Arts in German and European Studies from Georgetown University in 1997 and Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Relations and German Studies from the University of Minnesota in 1993. He is fluent in Spanish (having lived for 17 years in Latin America), German, and has basic knowledge of Portuguese and French. He was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2010.

Ed Wegel

GlobalX

Andres Bianchi

LATAM

Andrés Bianchi’s experience in aeronautics spans nearly 17 years, twelve of which he has spent in the air cargo business. He held various positions in the financial, operations, and commercial departments. In April 2017, he was appointed LATAM Cargo’s Chief Executive Officer. Between 2010 and 2017, Bianchi served in multiple roles at LATAM Cargo including VP Finance, SVP Network and SVP Sales & Revenue Management for North America, Europe and Asia.

Prior to joining LAN Cargo he worked at McKinsey and Company (2008 to 2010) and between 2002 and 2006, when he moved to the USA to pursue his MBA, he was LAN Airlines’ Head of Investor Relations.

Bianchi holds a degree in Business Administration from Universidad Católica de Chile and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business, from which he graduated with honors.

Maximillian Greif

Tropic Air

Max is the owner and CEO of the Belize based regional airline, Tropic Air. He is an airline industry veteran with over ten years of experience. Prior to purchasing Tropic Air, Max held positions with American and United Airlines in Commercial Strategy, Corporate Development and Network Planning. He has also served in the Financial Services sector with Bloomberg L.P. Max holds a degree in International Business and Economics.

Diogo Elias

Avianca Cargo

With more than 20 years of experience in different industries such as aviation, technology, retail, logistics, proptech, and financial services, and more than 10 years in executive positions where he has led commercial and operational strategies, Diogo Elias joins Avianca Cargo in 2023 and serves as Senior Vice President.

Prior to joining Avianca Cargo, Diogo worked at LATAM Airlines as Director of Sales and Marketing in São Paulo, and as Managing Director at LATAM Cargo in the same city.

In addition to this experience, Diogo has worked in different companies such as Loft, Natura, Itaú, and Microsoft, among others; and holds an MBA with emphasis in Strategy and General Management from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science in Business, with emphasis in Operational Management and Statistical Modeling from the University of São Paulo.

Fernanda Burle

MJAB

Fernanda Burle, founding partner of MJ Alves Burle e Viana Advogados (MJAB), is a reference in the government relations field. She built a solid career as a corporate and international trade lawyer in the city of Recife, Brazil. Fernanda developed her skills and consolidated her practice in advocacy with work and educational experiences in Geneva, Santiago de Chile, Washington D.C., Lisbon and Brasilia. She is currently a Counselor of CESA’s Advisory Board (Brazilian Law Firm Think Tank), a member of the Council for Sustainable Economic and Social Development (Conselhão) of the Brazilian Presidency, and one of the founders of Sustainable Humanitarian Empowerment (SHE). In the past years, Fernanda has been recognized by international rankings such as The Legal 500, Leaders League, Best Lawyers and Who’s Who Legal.

Post-graduated in Business Law and MBA in Government Relations, Fernanda has a Master of Laws in International Relations from Institut Universitaire de Hautes Etudes Internationales (HEI) – Université de Genève, specialization in Lobbying and Government Relations from School of Public Affairs – American University, and in Government Relations from Insper, College of Europe and George Washington University. In addition, she holds a certificate in Public Policy Analysis from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Tiago Pereira

ANAC Brasil

Mr. Pereira is Director of ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency), also occupying the position of Acting President-Director. For two years, was the Head of Department of Airport Economic Regulation of ANAC, which is responsible for conducting the federal airport concession bidding processes, and for overseeing these concession agreements. Before, also at ANAC, he occupied other senior positions, as the Head of Department of Institutional Planning and Director-President’s Advisor. Mr. Pereira also worked for the Central Bank of Brazil and the Ministry of Planning, Development and Management. He is a career civil servant as a Governmental Executive, of Ministry of Management and Public Services Innovation, and Professor of Economics at Brazilian Institute of Development, Teaching and Research (IDP). Mr. Pereira is PhD in Economics at Brasília University.

Niels Olsen

Minister of Tourism Ecuador

He is an entrepreneur, passionate about Ecuador, who stands out for several reasons: with 35 years of age he is the youngest Minister of Tourism in Latin America: it has the support of the country’s tourism sector. On May 24th 2021, he was sworn into office due to his extensive academic training in tourism, as well as an important participation in the industry from the private sector.

  • Since his appointment, Mr. Olsen expressed in a concrete way the three main objectives to reactivate tourism in the country, after the blow suffered by the pandemic, which he has fulfilled:

 

    • Promotion for reactivation through different mechanisms, especially reposition Ecuador in the international market, and encourage domestic tourism, also promoting the local gastronomic wealth.

 

    • Financial relief for the tourism sector through general incentive measures and credits from public banks for small, micro and medium-sized businesses.

 

    • Recovery of national and international air transport connectivity.

 

    • Improvement of the business climate and business performance through several programs that have been very well received.

 

  • Niels Olsen was born in the province of Guayas, where he has directed the tourism project of Hacienda La Danesa, located on the Naranjito-Bucay road, a venture highlighted as a successful agrotourism model, which involves the communities that surround it. He firmly believes that tourism must always leave a positive impact on people, the economy, and the environment.

 

  • He studied Business Administration and Marketing at Louisiana State University, USA, was part of the Society of Entrepreneurs of Latin America at Stanford University, and holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Tourism from Monash University in Australia.

General Márcio Bruni Bonotto

DECEA

coming soon …

Juan Pablo Lafosse

Travel X

“Vision-driven enthusiastic and serial entrepreneur. Founder and CEO of TravelX, the first blockchain-based distribution technology that is transforming the way we know Travel. Within the travel business, he founded ASATEJ and Almundo, one of the largest online travel companies in Latam reaching almost $ 500 million in GMV. He recently sold the company to CVC Corporation for $ 75 USD Millions. He also founded two hospitality companies and has been the CCO of Argentina’s main airline. Founder and non-executive general partner of Newtopia, an early stage $50M Latam VC.”

Mercedes Martinez Ballesty

Delta Airlines

Mercedes Martinez Ballesty is Director – Latin America, for Delta Air Lines. Based in Santiago, Chile, she joined Delta in April 2022 and is responsible for implementing Delta’s Joint Venture partnership with LATAM Airlines, as well as facilitating the work of Delta’s broader divisional teams and functions within the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Before joining Delta, Martinez Ballesty held several roles within the airline industry, including as Vice President – Alliances at Aerolineas Argentinas. Prior to that, she worked six years at LAN Airlines and then the post-merger LATAM Airlines, where she held various positions in the Alliances, Sales, and Scheduling-Network departments. During the pandemic, Martinez Ballesty joined the team at the e-commerce and online auction company Mercado Libre, leading the Customer Experience Operational Excellence team across the Latin America region. Martinez Ballesty holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Universidad de San Andrés in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and an MBA from Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Sergio Martins

SAAB

Graduated Engineer, with Post-Graduation in Business  Administration, Marketing, Branding and Foreign Trade. Saab Air Traffic Services Director and former member of the CANSO ATFM/A-CDM Working Group.

Started professional activity as Air Traffic Controller in 1983 at Rio de Janeiro´s Approach Control Center. Still in the technical area, Flight Operational Dispatcher and Flight Operations Engineer at VARIG.

Joined the industry in 1993, working for the most renowned multinational companies in the sector with more than 35 years of experience in different operational and commercial areas of international air transport.

Carlos Garcia

Oliver Wyman

Carlos Garcia Martin is a Partner in Oliver Wyman’s Transportation & Services practice, focusing primarily on large-scale cost takeout and operations engagements. With more than 10 years in consulting, he has advised clients across multiple sectors of the aviation community across the U.S., South America, and Asia in commercial aviation, manufacturing and the MRO market. His experience includes leading value creation diagnostics and delivering sustainable operational improvement initiatives for passenger and cargo airlines, designing strategy and processes for airline maintenance organizations, and evaluating fleet and MRO market forecast. In addition, he has also advised top-tier Private Equity firms on aviation focused strategic investments.

 

Carlos holds an MBA from IESE Business School and MIT Sloan School of Management, where he graduated with honors, and a MSc (Summa Cum Laude) in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Pontificia Comillas.

Angelica Garza

Aeromexico

Pablo Rousselin

DHL Express

“After starting his airline industry career in Engineering, Pablo also held multiple managerial positions in Technical Operations before moving to Projects related to operations, fleet and systems. He then transitioned into more administrative roles like MRO Director before moving to the cargo industry. He currently leads DHL Aero Expreso, a cargo airline based out of Panama. This business unit operates under DHL Express within the Aviation division, serving stations in Latin America and the Caribbean connecting the region thru the Miami hub.

Pablo holds a Masters in Applied Economics & Business Administration in addition to his main educational degree of Masters in Aerospace Engineering.”

Seth Cassel

Everymundo

Seth Cassel is the Co-Founder and Co-President of EveryMundo, the global leader in Fare Marketing technology for airlines. In November 2021, EveryMundo was acquired by PROS (NYSE:PRO), the global leader in Offer Optimization technology for airlines; Seth is now Chief Revenue Officer of the PROS Travel Division.

Seth holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Mathematics from Harvard University. Before PROS and EveryMundo, Seth built two companies: a start-up consultancy and a music management company. Previously, he worked at Sony Music and Citigroup. Seth regularly speaks at industry conferences, including airline technology events by Terrapinn, Airline Information, and IATA. He is an Endeavor Entrepreneur.

Seth is a board member of Lotus House women and children’s homeless shelter and a founding member of the Miami chapter of FWD.us. He lives in Miami Beach with his wife Amanda and two children.

Diana Olivares

LATAM

Diana has a Tourism Business Administration bachelor’s degree from the Panamericana de Hoteleria University and has a Tecnologico de Monterrey’s Diploma in Planning, Administration, Evaluation, and Project Control. She has more than 20 years of experience in the industry.


On September 2018, Diana became the first woman to hold the position of General Director for Mexico, Central America & Caribbean at LATAM Airlines Group. From February 2022, Olivares was appointed as President of the Nacional Chamber of Air Transports (CANAERO) becoming the first woman to occupy this position in more than 50 years of history of the institution.


In addition, she has been recognized as one of the 100 most powerful women in Mexico by Forbes and Expansion magazines and General Manager of the year by Mujer Ejecutiva magazine. Diana has given conferences on women’s empowerment and gender equity on various platforms and institutions, such as the CEO Women Summit, for the Chamber of the Pacific, the Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Global Business Travel Association, among others.

Roberto Alvo - LATAM CEO

Roberto Alvo

LATAM

Mr. Roberto Alvo is LATAM’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), a position he holds since March 31, 2020, prior to which he worked as LATAM’s Chief Commercial Officer (“CCO”), since May 2017, and was responsible of the Group’s passenger and cargo revenue management, with all the commercial units reporting to him.

Previously, he was Vice president of International and Alliances at LATAM Airlines since 2015, and Vice president of Strategic Planning and Development since 2008. Mr Alvo joined LAN Airlines in November 2001, where he served as Chief Financial Officer of LAN Argentina, as Manager of Development and Financial Planning at LAN Airlines, and as Deputy Chief Financial Officer of LAN Airlines.

Before 2001, Mr. Alvo held various positions at Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A., a leading Chilean nonmetallic mining company. He is a civil engineer, and holds an MBA from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Rafael Echevarne

ACILAC

Rafael Echevarne is the Director General of Airports Council International – Latin America and the Caribbean (ACILAC). Previously he was CEO of Montego Bay Airport, Jamaica, and held positions in international organizations and airport companies in Europe, Australasia and the Middle East, specialising in airport economic regulation, privatisation and infrastructure and business development.

Rafael holds a PhD in Air Transport Economics from Cranfield University, UK.

Pilar Elvira Wolfsteller

FlightGlobal

Pilar Elvira Wolfsteller, Americas Air Transport Editor for FlightGlobal, is an FAA-certified flight instructor (CFI), and she holds several other FAA and EASA pilot certificates and ratings. She joined FlightGlobal in 2019, and is currently based in Las Vegas, USA. She covers airlines across the hemisphere, but her interests also include future-oriented sustainable aviation technology, advanced air mobility projects and pilot training topics. Pilar began her international journalism career at the global news agencies Bloomberg and Reuters, and has reported from more than 50 countries. She has also worked for Acubed, Airbus’ Silicon Valley innovation center, as well as several high-tech companies. Pilar holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada, and a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University in the City of New York.

ADRIAN NEUHAUSER

AVIANCA GROUP

Mr. Neuhauser joined Avianca in 2019 as Chief Financial Officer and most recently served as President, with direct reports including the Chief Operating Officer, the Legal Vice Presidency and General Counsel, the VP of Purchasing and the Architecture Department.

During Mr. Neuhauser’ s tenure, he has also overseen the Company’s corporate restructuring process. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial sector with a focus on investment banking as well as extensive experience working with transportation companies, including airlines, railroad, and trucking companies.

Prior to joining Avianca, Mr. Neuhauser was Managing Director at Credit Suisse covering airlines throughout the Americas. Previously, he held senior positions at Deutsche Bank, Bank of America as well as Merrill Lynch where he was responsible for M&A and capital markets transactions in Chile and the Andean Region. Mr. Neuhauser holds an Economics Degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica.

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