Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi

Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association

Founding & Executive Chairman

Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi is the Founding and Executive Chairman of the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A seasoned industry professional, Alnaqbi has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation industry and sits on the Board of several reputed international aviation companies.
He entered the industry as Vice-President – Finance & Administration with the UAE’s Head of State flight operations. In this role, he became involved with VIP air transportation. He was the founder of Royal Jet, now one of the world’s most award-winning VIP aviation operators. During this period, he realized that there was inadequate knowledge and misconception about business aviation in the region, and in 2006, he began identifying stakeholders to establish MEBAA.
With his vast experience spanning aircraft purchase, sale, lease, and VIP interior completion, Alnaqbi’s knowledge base make him a valued contributor to the business aviation industry, and he is currently using that experience through MEBAA to represent the industry across the Middle East and North Africa.

Mohammed Bokhari

Aviation Horizons

CEO

bio coming soon…

Darren Broderick

ACAM

CEO

Darren is the CEO of Asian Corporate Aviation Management Pte. Ltd. or ACAM as more commonly known, which is the largest privately owned and operated, corporate aviation management company in the Asia Pacific Region, providing its clients with a wide range of customer centric, bespoke services from acquisitions through to full turnkey aircraft

management solutions, basic management, aircraft maintenance support, CAMO, trip support and handling services.

Ranked amongst the top 10 Operators by fleet in Asia Pacific, the company has demonstrated continuous annual growth since its formation in 2010 and operates a diverse

fleet including Boeing Business Jets, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Hawker, Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft. ACAMs Head Office is strategically located at

Seletar Airport Singapore with an additional full operations, maintenance and support base in Jakarta, Indonesia. Most recently the Company has announced its newest

office located in Dubai, U.A.E. to support its growing fleet of managed aircraft in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

In addition to being an accomplished businessman with long-term roots in the Asia Pacific region, Darren is a passionate aviator himself and maintains ATP licences on both

Aeroplanes and Helicopters accumulating more than 15000 flight hours throughout his career. Darren received the prestigious Sikorsky Aircraft Rescue Award in 2001.

Hardy Butschi

Jet Aviation

VP Regional Operations Middle East & GM Dubai

Hardy Bütschi was appointed as Regional Vice President MRO & FBO Operations Middle East GM Dubai in 2018. He also holds responsibility for the strategic growth and development of new capabilities in the region.
Bütschi joined Jet Aviation in 2004 as Director of Sales & Deputy Director of Customer Support. He went on to hold further roles as Director of Sales in Customer Support & Maintenance Planning, and Vice President/ General Manager/ Accountable Manger in both Saudi Arabia and Dubai, before assuming his current position.
Bütschi has over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry, beginning his career as a polytechnical engineer apprentice for Pilatus Aircraft in Switzerland. He holds a number of certifications, including an MBA with a major in strategy from the University of Strathclyde, MSc. in Business Administration with a major in marketing from the University of Wales, and has completed an Advanced Management Program (AMP) with Harvard Business School in the US.

Jeremie Caillet

Jet Aviation

SVP Regional Operations EMEA

Jeremie Caillet was appointed SVP regional operations EMEA in November 2021, also joining the company’s leadership team. He holds responsibility for the region’s Completions, MRO, FBO, Aircraft Management and Charter businesses, and the Middle East Joint Ventures.

Caillet has over 15 years’ experience in the aerospace industry. He joined Jet Aviation in 2008 and has held a number of roles within engineering, key account management, project management, operations and most recently, as vice president VIP completions.

Caillet’s career began at Dassault Falcon Jet in the US. He holds a Master Engineering Degree from Estaca, France, and a Master of Science in Aircraft Design from Linköping University, Sweden.

David Colindres

San Marino Aircraft Regitry

President

Profile coming soon.

Alexander Ebert

GE Aviation

Regional Account Leader Europe, Africa, Middle East, Russia, Latin America

Alexander started his aviation career in 1991 as an aircraft mechanic. After graduating from Munich´s University with an Engineering Degree in Aeronautics he was maintenance and maintainability engineer at Airbus Industries and involved in the MRB development of the A380 and MRB Chairman of the A400M military transporter.

In 2008 he moved on to Bombardier commercial aircraft customer services division to support the regional fleet of Lufthansa CityLine and Eurowings.

In 2014, he joined GE Aviation as Senior Field Support Engineer and was promoted to the position of Regional Account Leader in 2016. Alexander and the regional team support +500 mid-size to super large VVIP business and corporate Jets.

Norbert Ehrich

Jet Aviation

VP Flight Services EMEA

A 30-year veteran of Jet Aviation, Norbert began his aviation career with Jet Aviation in 1992 at the then World Headquarters in West Palm Beach Florida.
Since joining the company, Norbert has held various senior leadership roles in the U.S., EMEA and South America across FBO, MRO, Aircraft Management and Charter services. Most recently, Norbert has been leading the EMEA aircraft management and charter team in Zurich since 2018. He played an integral role in expanding the regional fleet through the acquisition of Luxaviation’s Swiss Aircraft Management and Charter Division in June 2021 and continues to strategically promote Flight Services while strengthening alignment across the regions. Norbert holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business from Florida Atlantic University and is fluent in German, English and Spanish.

Jeffrey Emmenis

Vertis Aviation

Founder

Jeffrey Emmenis, a dual national, completed his formal education in South Africa. After high school, he travelled to London to build a career in Business Aviation; his passion, twenty-one years later, he is recognised amongst his peers and customers as an expert in this field.
A corporate aviation specialist with over twenty-one years of business experience, eleven of which served as the owner of his own companies. Jeffrey’s career started in 2001 as a Charter Sales Analyst for International Jet Services, followed by 2 ½ years as the first private jet broker at Air Charter Service. He was a founding member and Charter Sales Manager for The Charter Company (a Twinjet subsidiary). In 2008 Jeffrey moved to Zurich and joined Comlux Aviation as the Head of Aircraft Management for Fly Comlux and managed nearly two dozen aircraft for various UHNWI across the world. Since 2010, Jeffrey serves as the CEO and founding partner of Vertis Aviation.
This year, Jeffrey established, Vertis Aviation Aircraft Sales LLC, a Dubai based Aircraft Trading company.

John Farrish

InFlight Law

Attorney

Mr. Farrish exclusively practices American aviation law, primarily advising aircraft owners on the acquisition and sale of business aircraft. He has supervised hundreds of transactions, from new factory deliveries of large cabin ultra-long-range aircraft to single-pilot light jets. InFlight Law has offices in Tanger (Morocco) and Atlanta (U.S.).
Mr. Farris’s practice specializes in imports and exports from all around the globe, and has accomplished transactions to or from a multitude of countries including Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Portugal, Austria, Poland, Netherlands, Denmark, Cayman Islands, San Marino, Qatar, India, Australia, South Africa, China, Malta, Luxembourg, Norway, Ukraine, and Malaysia.
Prior to starting InFlight Law, Mr. Farrish was General Counsel and Vice President of Transactions for one the world’s largest aircraft brokerage firms, and was previously a partner at a U.S. national law firm.
Mr. Farrish is a Board Member of the Georgia Business Aviation Association and a winner of the U.S. National Business Aviation Association’s “Top 40 Under 40” award. Mr. Farrish is a graduate of University of Miami School of Law, and is licensed to practice in Georgia, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Alex Fecteau

Boeing Business Jeys

Director of Marketing

Captain Alex Fecteau is the Director of Marketing for Boeing Business Jets, a division of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Prior to his current position Captain Fecteau worked with airlines around the world in Boeing Commercial Airplane marketing, with a focus on flight deck technology, and Boeing technical product subject matter. Captain Fecteau earned his undergraduate degree in Aeronautical Engineering, and Master of Science Degree in Mechanical engineering, followed by an extensive career as an F-15 instructor pilot in the US Air Force and pilot for 2 major US Airlines.

Alex has extensive experience working with customer flight operations departments, flight standards, training, and executive levels leadership. He has also worked with regulators worldwide for airplane systems certifications and performance based navigation operational approvals, and was an advisor to several EASA, ICAO, and FAA aviation rulemaking committees.

Steffen Fries

MHS Aviation

CEO

Steffen Fries serves as Chief Executive Officer at MHS Aviation GmbH.
In 2011, Mr. Fries joined the former co-owner of DC Aviation and built up MHS Aviation in Munich, which today manages more than 20 aircraft.

He began his career at Lufthansa in 1990. In 2002, he moved to NetJets Europe as the Senior Vice President for Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In 2008, he joined DC Aviation GmbH, formerly known as Daimler Chrysler Aviation, where he served as Chief Executive Officer since 2009. In parallel he was the Managing Director for Aircraft Asset Management, managing a portfolio of 31 aircraft with an asset value of over USD 250m. From 2013 to 2015 he served as Chief Operating Officer of Fly Victor in London, heading up the sales and operations team worldwide, and returned to MHS beginning of 2016.

He holds a degree as an engineer in machinery as well as an MBA.

Yosef Hafiz

NASJET

VP Sales & Marketing

Yosef F Hafiz is Vice President of Sales & Marketing for NasJet, the largest private aviation operator in the Middle East, who has been leading the commercial department to new levels of success with a strong focus on Aircraft Management in the region. Yosef joined NasJet in 2004 moving through the various ranks and departments within the organization including Engineer, Aircraft Acceptance and Completions, and Sales. Yosef has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and also holds a Commercial Pilot license.

Hamish Harding

Action Aviation

Chairman

Hamish Harding lives in Dubai with his family and is Chairman of Action Aviation. He has been an enthusiastic pilot since his days at Cambridge University where he gained degrees in Natural Sciences and Chemical Engineering. He holds an Airline Transport Pilots License and various business jet type ratings including the Gulfstream G650, and is an experienced skydiver.
In 2017, Hamish worked with Antarctic VIP tourism company, White Desert, to introduce the first regular business jet service to Antarctic using a Gulfstream G550, landing on Wolfsfang Runway, a newly-created ice runway in Antarctica.
Hamish has also visited the South Pole a number of times, accompanying Buzz Aldrin in 2016 as he became the oldest person ever to reach the South Pole (age 86) and, in 2020, Hamish took his son Giles Harding, who became the youngest person ever to reach the South Pole (age 12).
In 2019, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, Hamish, along with friend and Living Legend, astronaut Col. Terry Virts, led a team of aviators that captured the Guinness World Record for circumnavigation of the earth via North and South Poles. The record was achieved in a Gulfstream G650ER in 46 hours 40 minutes. A Hollywood movie, One More Orbit, was made of the successful capture of the world record.
In 2021, Hamish undertook a mission in a two-man submarine to the lowest point in the world’s oceans, Challenger Deep (in Marianna Trench, Pacific Ocean) to a depth of 36,000 ft. This 13-hour underwater mission resulted in two Guinness World Records, longest duration spent at Full Ocean Depth (4 hours 15 mins) and longest distance traversed at Full Ocean Depth (4.6 km).
In 2022, Hamish was one of six astronauts to go to space on Blue Origin’s 5th human spaceflight aboard the New Shepard rocket.
Owner of international business jet brokerage company, Action Aviation, Hamish is regarded as a leading authority on the worldwide business jet market. Hamish is one of the very few business jet brokers who also pilots the larger business jets himself.

Mohammed Al Husary

UAS International Trip Support

Co-Owner/Founder and Executive President

Mr. Al Husary is the Co-Owner/Founder and Executive President of the now-global UAS International Trip Support, an organization he began building in 2000 while in his early twenties. He’s well known in the region as a pioneering aviation expert and corporate strategist.

Holding an Executive MBA from Hult International Business School, Boston, USA, Mr. Al Husary is a business magnate, investor and serial founder of several successful businesses in various sectors. In 2018, he founded Corporate Sports, an active player in helping companies bring wellness and a healthier work-life balance to the workplace.

His business acumen made him a frequent keynote speaker on international aviation events and a media contributor on topics varying from aviation, executive management, leadership and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Husary received a series of leadership accolades including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Awards 2018 and was named in the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Top 40 Under 40 for his leadership and business management skills.

As a passionate believer in continuous education and knowledge sharing, he became a member and lecturer in the Arab Professionals Forum of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation and began a Harvard Business School three-year Owners and Presidents Program in late 2019.

Adel Mardini

Jetex

Founder & CEO

Mr. Mardini drives the company’s innovations and strong global
growth through his hands-on leadership and attention to detail. He embodies the spirit of developing a deep understanding of Jetex’s clients, while constantly inspiring the Jetex team to exceed their own ambitions and capabilities.

Today, Jetex serves an elite clientele through its extensive global network of private jet terminals and lounges, as well as ground handling facilities in more than 25 countries worldwide and employs more than 700 people. The company offers a comprehensive range of international trip planning, ground support and concierge services, all delivered with the highest degree of quality, flexibility and privacy.

A Board Member of the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), Mr. Mardini played a key role in
its development. This pioneering body was instrumental in starting a dialogue between airport operators and the region’s governing authorities. MEBAA has helped shape local
regulations to meet with international standards, as well as create extensive business opportunities in emerging markets.

Mr. Mardini is also an active member of the World Economic Forum and the Young Presidents’ Organization, a global leadership community of chief executives committed to a shared mission of becoming better leaders through lifelong learning and idea exchange.

A strong believer in corporate responsibility and giving back to the community, he is involved in numerous charitable activities and developed the first partnership by a general aviation company to champion and support electric aircraft for short-haul flights.

Stefano Miggiano

VistaJet

Executive Vice President

Bio coming soon…

Christopher Miller

Shearwater Global Capital

CEO

Mr. Miller has extensive experience in global asset-based financing with a primary focus on business jets, yachts and former military aircraft used for training purposes.  Prior to Shearwater, Mr. Miller lead a prominent Financial Institution’s asset-based lending group providing capital solutions to the Business Aviation Industry.

Before entering the business world, Mr. Miller served in the United States Marine Corps, as an F/A-18 pilot, Aircraft Maintenance Officer and Aviation Safety Officer. Mr. Miller currently holds a commercial pilot rating. He is an accredited “Senior Aircraft Appraiser” with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and the former President of the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA). Mr. Miller received a BA from Denison University and an MBA from Columbia University.

Michael Nelson

Clyde & Co

Legal Advisor – Partner

Bio coming soon.

Holger Ostheimer

DC Aviation Al-Futtaim

Holger is the Managing Director of DC Aviation Al-Futtaim in Dubai. A joint venture business between the DC Aviation Group and the Dubai based international business conglomerate Al-Futtaim.

He has been advising both JV partners in the making of the organization before taking on managing the live business in 2012
During the buildup stages Holger formed a team in Dubai to provide technical expertise on developing the hangar facility structure, establishing all operational, administrative and commercial structures, as well as obtaining a UAE aircraft operator certificate and a CAR 145 maintenance organization.

Originally educated at Frankfurt’s Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Germany in the area of Sports Science, Biology and Education he built his career with extensive experience in the areas of airline operations, aircraft brokerage, flight support as well as obtaining a commercial flight crew license back in 2001.

Holger is a passionate business professional with a strong emphasis on premium quality operations and an understanding for people relations.

Jean-Noel Robert

Airbus Corporate Jets

Head of Business Development & Marketing

After 11 successful years with Schneider Electric in Finance, Strategy Project Management and General Management positions held in 3 different continents, Jean-Noel joined Airbus in Dubai mid 2006, to look after airlines. Mid 2008, he became ACJ North Asia and China Sales Director and in Sep 2010, he moved to Hong Kong to cover whole Asia and China.

While in Asia, Jean-Noel was elected Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) Chairman from 2011 to 2013. Under his leadership, AsBAA notably doubled its members, launched the 1^st ABACE in Shanghai and created regional sub chapters.

Mid 2016, Jean-Noel moved to HQs (France) to develop and implement strategic and disruptive initiatives supporting ACJ sales in partnership with industry stakeholders. In 2018, he was in charge of the definition, the business plan and the commercial launch of the ACJ TwoTwenty, positioned to compete head to head with large business jets.

Jean-Noel, 49 yo, graduated from Toulouse Business School, is happily married for 23 years and father of 2 young adults. He has been involved in various sports and more specifically in Rugby as a coach and at national and international level as a player.

Sari Sawaya

Jetcraft

Sales Director, Middle East

Sari Sawaya currently leads all Jetcraft sales activities in the Middle East region. He began his career with ExecuJet before joining Jetcraft in 2013. Sari has over 15 years of industry experience within aircraft charter, management and sales positions. Having grown up in the Middle East, Sari is fully immersed in the culture and knowledgeable of local aircraft inventory.
Sari is a graduate of the American University in Sharjah where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in finance and management. He resides in Dubai with his wife and four children.

Mehrzad Sepasi

ArcosJet

Vice President of Sales & Business Development 

Mehrzad Sepasi is widely known within the business aviation community as a highly qualified business aircraft industry professional with over 30 years of experience in different sectors of aviation. Mehrzad started his aviation career in 1990 at Bombardier Aerospace and has been Involved in a number of Bombardier Business & Commercial Aircraft developments. Over his 30 years of successful career, he has been involved in delivering of over 100 Bombardier Business Aircraft to a large number of clients around the world. During the past 15 years as a Senior Advisor – Customer Account Management at Bombardier, Mehrzad was in charge of supporting Bombardier clients in the Middle East, Russia, CIS, Canada, Far East, South America & Europe and since then has developed a strong reputation as a person of deep knowledge of the aviation industry with great customer relations skills.

Shuaib Shahid

Gogo Business Aviation

Director, Global Sales

After completing his Masters in Space Mission Analysis and Design, Shuaib started his career in Madrid, Spain designing satellite augmented landing systems for aircraft. He returned home to the United Kingdom to help launch Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband service and ran the business aviation portfolio for a further five years. Currently, Shuaib works for Gogo Business Aviation as their Director for Global Sales where his team is responsible for Airtime sales for the Inmarsat and Iridium networks, as well as hardware sales outside North America.

Sidhant Sharma

2-REG

Director: Commercial & Legal

Sidhant Sharma is the Deputy Director at 2-REG, leading the efforts in commercial and legal affairs. Previous experience includes Leasing & Finance at PK AirFinance, working closely with the legal team and enhancing the country risk index for aircraft investments. As well as Asset Management and Technical Services at SGI Aviation, providing advisory services during critical repossessions, risk mitigation and induction of SGI Aviation’s key asset management portfolios.

Mr Sharma holds an Advanced Masters’ degree from Universiteit Leiden in Air & Space Law graduating cum laude with the thesis focussing on the regulatory and practical practices in aircraft de-registrations and export impacting asset value and owner’s interest.

With a background in aviation finance and the commitment to further enunciate the regulatory abilities of 2-REG, Mr Sharma possesses the ideal balance of regulatory and technical knowledge to cultivate a safe and effective product for 2-REG’s clients and its key industry stakeholders

Louis Steven

Supreme Jet

Founder

Bio coming soon.

Andrew Summers

Air Charter Service

Regional Director – Middle East, Africa & India

Andy joined ACS’ head office in London in 2006 as a broker in what was then the Passenger Department. In 2013 he spent several months based in Kazakhstan and Russia overseeing ACS’ new Almaty office and former Moscow and St Petersburg offices, before moving to Dubai later in 2013 to become CEO of ACS Middle East. In 2016 he then took on the newly created role of Regional Director – Middle East, Africa and India and is responsible for the ACS offices across the region.

Oliver Tebitt

Watson Farley & Williams

Partner

Oliver is a Partner in the Assets and Structured Finance Group, based in London.
Oliver’s practice has a primary focus on aviation finance matters, providing advice to equipment financiers, airlines, owners and operators on all types of cross border transaction structures.
He is experienced in documenting, negotiating and executing aircraft and engine financing, leasing and trading transactions, and has advised clients that together represent the full range of industry participants on transactions concerning all classes of commercial and business aircraft.
Oliver is notably active in the corporate jet market, where he has a strong practice representing financiers, high net-worth individuals and operators.
Oliver is recommended as a leading aviation finance lawyer by legal directories Chambers HNW, Legal 500 EMEA Who’s Who Legal and Euromoney’s Guide to Aviation Lawyers, as well as by Corporate Jet Investor magazine. Most recently, Chambers reported that he is “very much a known entity and an established participant in the private aviation sector” and that “he is absolutely a go-to in the Middle East. He is knowledgeable, understands the market and understands how people operate in the region. His focus on that means that he is able to answer complex questions quickly”.
He regularly presents at industry conferences, seminars and client training events.

Ivan Veretennikov

ArcosJet

Aircraft Sales

Though formally educated in linguistics and foreign affairs, Ivan became a passionate aviator immediately after getting his first job in the industry in 2007. Initially gaining recognition as an international journalist, then app developer with the innovative JetBook, he joined ArcosJet as it formed in 2014 and has been actively involved in the company’s success ever since.

Ivan has become a successful aircraft broker in his own right, specialising in the bigger aircraft and more complicated transactions. He is a vocal supporter of making aircraft sales a more transparent and profitable industry with a clear set of best practices and standard documents. He is an avid aviator and has a helicopter PPL, to which he plans to add fixed-wing aircraft.

Boris Wolstenholme

Gama Aviation

Managing Director, Business Aviation

Boris Wolstenholme joined Gama Aviation as the Managing Director of the Business Aviation strategic business unit in May 2021. His responsibilities span Aircraft Management, Charter, FBO and the MRO business outside the USA. Boris has worked in the Aviation industry for over 25 years and brings a wealth of experience in delivering a customer focussed business capability. Boris’ career has developed through a Sales and Commercial background, and he was previously Chief Strategy Officer for the AJW Group. Boris is passionate about Aviation and building great businesses; he was voted Young Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors in 2012. Boris focuses on building on Gama’s fantastic reputation in the Business Aviation sector by continuing to differentiate the services they offer.