Speakers

Our Speakers are key influencers in the African aviation industry.

Members of our speaking faculty are chosen for their industry knowledge, experience and the insight they offer to progress African aviation.

If you would like to be considered to be part of the speaking faculty for 2026, please contact Jon Howell

Our 2026 Speakers:

Nelly Alandou

Senior Aviation Consultant, Strategy and Planning

NACO Airport Consultants

Jody Appollis

Aviation Business Development - Sub-Saharan Africa

NACO / Atana

Hassan Aurag

Brand Ambassador

Hitit

Momodou Bah

Director of Supply - Africa

AEG Fuels

Jacob Bakst

Managing Director, Transportation Division

Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM BANK)

Patrick Baudis

Co-Founder

Airline Factory

Hilka Birns

Aviation Journalist

ch-aviation

Scott Boardman

VP- Marketing

Azorra

Tristan Brouard

Associate Director

ACC Aviation

Miguel Carneiro

Chief Commercial Officer / Chief Transformation Officer

TAAG – Angola Airlines

Hilton Carty

Founder and MD

Aperture Properties

Alastair Curtis

General Manager, Africa

Archer Aviation

Joep Ellers

Airline Marketing Director for Africa

Airbus

de Villiers Engelbrecht

Chief Executive Officer

Airlink

Vincent Eva

Senior Manager: Aircraft Fleet Management

FlySafair

Sanjeev Gadhia

Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Astral Aviation

Liezl Gericke

Head of International

Virgin Atlantic

Marco Goetz

Chief Commercial Officer

Discover Airlines

Basil Gygax

Sales Director Africa

TrueNoord

Raphael Haddad

President

Jetcraft Commercial Limited

Jon Howell

CEO and Founder

AviaDev

Rupert Kraus

Network & Partnerships

Discover Airlines

Keira Langford-Johnson

Business Development Director

Proflight Zambia

Geert Lemaire

Market Intelligence and Consulting Director

Airbus

Tatenda Karuwa

Account Executive

Solus Insurance Brokers

Candy Kasonkomona

Regional Vice President Southern, Eastern & Central West Africa

Hahnair

Kirsten King

Group CEO

fastjet

Patrick van der Knoop

Global VP Airline Sales

Nuvei

Passionate Lebeko

AviaDev Ambassador

Sohail Mahmood

Chief Operating Officer

Africa World Airlines

Edmund Makona

SAATM Ambassador for the Southern region

AFCAC

Hellen Mwariri Mathuka

Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer

Kenya Airways

Thato Matsha

Head: Aviation Finance - Africa

Investec

Ariana McKnire

Director of Airline Business Development

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

Sean Mendis

Director

SeanMendis.com

Mpolaheng Mohlopi

Chief Financial Officer

Lanseria International Airport

Rethabile Molatedi

AviaDev Ambassador

Dr Bao Rasebolai Mosinyi

General Manager

Air Botswana

Aaron Munetsi

Chief Executive Officer

Airlines Association of Southern Africa

Dikko Nwachukwu

Chief Executive Officer

Andara Systems

Diana Nyambura

Chief Executive Officer

Skyward Airlines

Keletsositse Olebile

Chief Executive Officer

Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC)

Capt. Kgomotso Phatsima

Founder and President

Dare to Dream

Kephas Phiri

Director Commercial Services

Zambia Airports Corporation Limited

Jonathan Pollard

Chief Commercial Officer

London Gatwick

Minosoa Tatamo Rakotozafy

Head of Aeronautical Activities

Ravinala Airports

Natalia Rosa

Tourism Project Lead

Southern Africa Tourism Alliance

Adeel Siddiqi

Head of Middle East and Africa

Cirium

Daniel Silke

Political Economy Analyst & Futurist 

Political Futures Consultancy

Jason Sutcliffe

Marketing Director – Middle East, Africa & Central Asia

Rolls Royce

Daté Dovéné Tevi-Benissan

Commercial Director

ASKY

Capt Thuto Toise

Chief Executive Officer

Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana

Namhla Tshetu

Executive Manager at Corporate Services

Airlink

Girma Wake

Industry Expert

AviaDev Patron

Ellah Wafula

Founder

Association of Women in Aviation Maintenance - Kenya Chapter

Theo Wensink

Head of Marketing – MEA, Senior Director Airline Marketing

Embraer Commercial Aviation

Katherine Whelan

Chief Commercial Officer

Airlink

Adam Young

Regional VP Sales – Southern Africa

Embraer Commercial Aviation