“It was great to have the chance to act as a host for the international aviation community and to meet up with persons from varied industries of such high quality”
– Nikolai Lubrano, Ganado Advocates
Aircraft operators have one of the most important roles in business aviation. It is also one of the hardest. They are responsible for bringing in new entrants through charter and retaining them with aircraft management.
CJI Malta is dedicated to aircraft management and charter.
This year’s event dived into the key issues and opportunities facing aircraft management companies. Co-hosted with Transport Malta, the conference built on the success on the 2025 event, which had more than 200 attendees.
CJI Malta is a CPD/CLE accredited event with CPD Group.
Exclusive access to the two day conference
Two cocktail receptions
Networking lunches
All refreshments
Access to conference documentation
Recorded sessions
Delegate list
Event app
Event news
Event news by email
“It was great to have the chance to act as a host for the international aviation community and to meet up with persons from varied industries of such high quality”
– Nikolai Lubrano, Ganado Advocates
"Enjoyable but also highly informative. I always learn so much from these conferences, renew contacts and make others. Loved it!"
Geraldine Spiteri, Asteria Advisory
"Great event! The CJI team has done a fantastic job again, bringing together the best of the industry."
Matthieu de Varax, Odi-sé Avocats
"It was a well attended, insightful and much needed event. Looking forward to next year!"
Puja Mahajan, Azzera
"Anyone who is anyone is in the same room together."
Guy Farnfield, Hyperion Aviation
"It was great to have the chance to act as a host for the international aviation community and to meet up with persons from varied industries of such high quality."
Robert brings more than twenty-five years of extensive managerial experience in the aviation sector, having held senior leadership positions across a wide range of aviation-related organizations, including serving as Chief Operating Officer of the EBAA. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in driving the commercial, operational, and strategic success of multiple aviation companies. As a seasoned executive, he offers deep expertise in day-to-day management, sales and marketing, strategic change management, advocacy and lobbying, and board-level governance. He is currently active as Commercial Director at Zeusch Aviation, a special operations operator specializing in aerial surveys, mapping, air ambulance services, passenger charter, and relay flights.
Fabian Bello is CEO and founding member of Journey Aviation, a Part 135 Operator based in Boca Raton, Florida, USA with multiple locations throughout the world. Under his leadership, the company has demonstrated notable growth since its inception in January of 2014, exceeding $365 million USD in total revenue within its first 8 years in business, while establishing itself as an industry-preferred quality operator.
Prior to entering the aviation industry, Mr. Bello worked for a top worldwide logistics company with over $3 billion USD yearly turnover. In addition to his extensive business knowledge, Mr. Bello has vast experience working with and uniting diverse cultures worldwide; particularly Hispanic, European, Asian and of Arabic regions. He has an innate ability of bringing and keeping individuals working together in pursuit of a common goal. Getting things done effectively, efficiently and with the buy-in of all related parties is one of the strongest attributes to his management style.
Mr. Bello was born in Havana, Cuba and immigrated to Miami, Florida at the age of three. He was raised in South Florida and attended the University of Miami where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and is currently an Executive MBA candidate at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School
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, aircraft maintenance support,
CAMO, flight 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 Airbus Corporate Jets,
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.
In 2022 the Company announced its expansion with a new venture ACAM Middle East located in Dubai, U.A.E. to support its growing fleet of managed aircraft in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, followed by another
recent announcement in January 2023 of the latest expansion plan – the establishment of ACAM Pacific in Melbourne, Australia to serve the expanding business aviation market in the Asia Pacific region.
In addition to being an accomplished businessman with long-term roots in the Asia Pacific region, Darren is an accomplished 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.
Michel Buffat is a prominent figure in aviation and superyacht finance with over 20 years of industry expertise and a reputation for innovation and leadership in financing of luxury assets. As Founder and Managing Director of JetOcean Advisors, Michel continues to shape the future of luxury asset finance with a sharp strategic vision and deep market insight.
Prior to launching JetOcean Advisors, Michel served as Managing Director at a major Swiss private bank, where he built and led the bank’s global aviation and yacht finance division. Under his leadership, the bank’s yacht finance offering grew from a start-up initiative into a recognized global powerhouse.
He holds an MBA from the University of Rochester and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich, combining technical rigor with business acumen.
Since the establishment of DC Aviation Malta in 2008, we have been fully committed to providing first class services to the business aviation community. Our company has always embraced a philosophy of quality, guided by the principle that “what is not good for our own operation is not good for our clients”. This ethos reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence. It is this commitment that has seen us make significant investments in executive ramp transport, staff training and the improvement of crew and passenger facilities at Malta International Airport.
Our contribution to the growth of business aviation in Malta goes far beyond our operational services. As a founding member and current President of the Malta Business Aviation Association, I am proud to play an active role in the development of the aviation industry here. Despite the lack of a dedicated general aviation terminal, we ensure that our customers experience the highest standards of service and comfort, no matter what the challenges.
Driven by a passion for quality, DC Aviation continues to set the standard for business aviation. Our blend of innovation, expertise and an unwavering commitment to our customers ensures that we remain at the forefront of the industry. As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our mission to deliver unparalleled service across our global network, with Malta as a shining example of our vision and dedication.
Severine Cosma, a French citizen, graduated from Supaero Engineering School in France (ISAE) and holds a Master degree in Mechanics and Aerodynamics. She started her career in 1999 in Airbus Customer Services Directorate as a Maintenance Engineer.
In 2002, she joined Airbus Marketing Directorate to work on the new Airbus A380 Program. One of her projects on an Airbus A380 VIP gave her the opportunity to integrate the Airbus Executive and Private Aviation division as Marketing Director. For 5 years, she supported the sales campaigns of the Airbus Corporate Jets around the world, being involved in more than 100 VIP aircraft sales, and she developed the promotion of the Airbus VIP product range.
In 2008, after 10 years working with Airbus, she joined Comlux to lead the Marketing Department , in charge of Communication & Sales Engineering at group level and for the 3 divisions: Aviation, Completion, Transaction.
In February 2023, Severine is appointed EVP Commercial Operations, focusing on Market Prospection, Sales Engineering & Processes and Customer Experience for the 3 divisions of the Comlux Group.
Allister joined Dohle Corporate and Trust Services in September to focus on the groups aviation service offering, recently establishing Dohle Aviation. As Business Development Director Allister is driving DCTS development strategy, focusing mostly on aviation and yachting sector alongside the wider service offering.
Louise Dowson is a seasoned aviation professional with over 20 years of experience across multiple facets of the industry. Louise has held various key roles in Operations and as a
Nominated Person, gaining extensive insight into both commercial and corporate aviation sectors.
Her comprehensive background enables her to effectively balance safety, regulatory compliance, and premium service delivery. Louise’s leadership is grounded in a passion for aviation excellence and operational integrity.
Currently, she serves as the CEO of Flypeople Ltd., a Malta-based Training Organisation
(CCTO) specializing in consultancy and tailored aircrew training programs for both pilots and
Toby Edwards is co-CEO of Victor, the multi award-winning on-demand jet charter platform and sector leader in Europe. Toby’s tenure with the jet charter company began over a decade ago when he joined as the very first Member Services Executive in July 2012. From that moment he has lived and breathed the company’s core values of Transparency, Integrity and Customer Centricity – rising up through the ranks to take the place of co-CEO of the company at the age of 33 in July 2020.
Since 2020 he has driven growth, led the business to profitability and propelled Victor’s entire strategy around Sustainability, ensuring the mission of ‘A better way to fly’ is far from just an ESG tagline. Under his leadership, Victor has spearheaded pioneering sustainability initiatives within the private jet sector, securing an industry-leading partnership with Neste, the world’s leading producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in June 2022.
Toby has accelerated the growth of Victor’s global network, which now encompasses more than 200 operators and 7,000 aircraft. Toby is committed to upholding Victor’s key ethos of providing transparency for clients – disclosing aircraft, operator and carbon emission details at the point of quotation, whilst ensuring both an effortless and seamless travel experience.
With almost two decades of experience in various aspects of the aviation industry, Emad brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team. With a Master’s in Aviation Management, a degree in aircraft maintenance, and a commercial pilot license, Emad’s understanding of both the aircraft and the industry is an invaluable resource. Emad has held various roles within the industry, including over 15 years of steering ground and flight operations with a multitude of operators across numerous countries, including Canada, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. He is a certified auditor (IS-BAH) for the International Business Aviation Council as well as a Crew Resource Management Instructor. Emad’s expertise also extends to Safety Management Systems.
With an extensive background in business aviation, Joanne has also worked for both commercial and cargo-based airlines in a variety of roles, beginning in 2007 as a Senior Account Manager and subsequently holding a series of executive positions that developed her global expertise. She joined TAG in 2017 as a Client
Relationship Manager, having previously worked for a FBO/Maintenance Company in Basel, initially as FBO Sales Manager and then as deputy CEO. In
2019, she assumed the role of Director of Customer Services for TAG Aviation UK where she oversaw the Client Relationship Management (CRM) and Customer
Service Representative (CSR) teams throughout Europe. In this role she also implemented strategic enhancements and initiated plans for the company’s ongoing expansion. A keen aviator, Joanne holds a commercial helicopter pilot’s license.
In 2020, Joanne Goodall was appointed Chief Executive Officer of TAG Aviation Europe. Her leadership experience, management skills and business acumen are some of the assets that truly “make the difference” in building upon TAG’s unrivalled reputation and can be relied upon to steer the company towards a
highly successful future.
Guy joined Hyperion Aviation Limited in 2023 where he is the Managing Director. Based in Malta he is active in spearheading closer integration of Hyperion into the larger FLYINGGROUP group of companies. He also leads the FLYINGGROUP Middle East office in Dubai.
Guy has 40 years of aviation experience that has been gained with the commercial airlines as well as corporate operators. He has held senior roles within flight operations of major airlines as well as corporate operations.
Guy is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and has a Masters in Aviation Management from London City University.He continues to maintain his commercial pilots licence having amassed over 15,000 hours on business jets and commercial airliners in his career.
Pablo Fexer is the CEO and one of the founders of 360 Jet Fuel, where he leads a global jet fuel and SAF supply and trading business serving airlines , operators, FBO’s, and corporate flight departments worldwide. With over 15 years of experience in the aviation fuel sector, Pablo has built a reputation for navigating the complexities of jet fuel markets — from price volatility and supply-chain disruption to the geopolitical shifts reshaping global energy flows.
Capt Julie Garland BL, FRAeS is the Founder and CEO of Avtrain – one of Europe’s leading drone training and consultancy organisations setting the standards for others to follow. She is a former Airline Training Captain, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, Barrister at Law, Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and President of JEDA- Joint European Drone Associations; prior to undertaking her position as CEO of Avtrain she was the Director Compliance for Norwegian Air International.
She is the President of Joint European Drone Associations (JEDA) and holds the EASA Stakeholder Advisory Body (SAB) Plenary seat representing all of the European Drone and Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) Industry. Julie is also the JEDA representative on JARUS – the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems where she is Vice-Chair of the JARUS Industry Stakeholder’s Body Steering Committee.
Fiona is an Irish-qualified solicitor specialising in aviation. Based in Malta since 2011, she was brought to the island by the Alpine Group to establish and lead an aviation business, serving as Managing Director before founding FCF Assets in 2025.
Through FCF, Fiona advises operators on establishing aviation businesses, with a particular focus on securing Maltese AOC’s. She leads AOC projects from initial concept through to approval and continues to support operators as their businesses grow and scale. She is currently working on her tenth Maltese AOC.
Fiona also advises UBOs and family offices on operational strategy aligned with their aircraft and mission requirements, supporting clients across ESEA jurisdictions and internationally.
She is a regular speaker at international aviation conferences and sits on the Executive Committee for Aviation & Aerospace within the Malta Chamber of Commerce.
FelixHenderson is a Sales Manager at International Jet Company, specialising in complex private jet charter and bespoke aviation solutions for family offices, corporate clients, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Prior to joining IJC, he worked for a leading global aircraft management company, supporting charter and brokerage activity across a diverse fleet while working closely with aircraft owners, management clients, direct clientele, and new business development opportunities.
Driven by a lifelong passion for aviation, Felix has developed a particular interest in the operational side of business aviation, where flight logistics, regulatory requirements, international operations, aircraft performance, and real-time problem-solving converge. He is especially passionate about supporting clients throughout the full aviation lifecycle, from arranging their first charter flight to advising on aircraft acquisition and ownership. His approach is founded on a deep understanding of both commercial and operational considerations, ensuring every solution is practical, efficient, and aligned with the client’s long-term objectives.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the aviation industry, Andy has built a diverse career spanning commercial aviation, special mission projects and business aviation. For the past 15 years he has held senior leadership positions across a range of disciplines, incorporating strategic planning, commercial and sales within organisations such as TAG Aviation, ACASS and NetJets Europe.
Currently serving as Commercial Director at Saxon Air, Andy is responsible for the companies fixed-wing and rotary commercial activities. With his broad perspective gained from working across a range of organisations he is focussed on ensuring the business is well positioned to deliver continued and future success.
Marian Jancarik founded JETRON, a Central European brokerage and advisory company, in 2021. Prior to JETRON, Marian held various executive positions across Europe and the Middle East, including CEO/Chairman of the Board at SEAGLE AIR and CEO/Chairman of the Board and Managing Director at ABS Jets, which was at the time the largest Legacy 600 operator in Central Europe and the Embraer representative for the region. He also lived and worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he served as Embraer’s exclusive Area Sales Representative.
Marian holds a master’s degree in aviation engineering and is a licensed pilot. Beyond his professional achievements, he is a family man with diverse interests, including a passion for golf and Formula 1.
Mark is a co-founder of Dynamic Advanced Training, responsible for conceptualizing the design, build and operations of one of the world’s most advanced and award-winning Aviation Cabin Safety Training Academies. Dynamic’s niche specialty is catering to the training requirements of business jet operators.
Mark holds a master’s degree in engineering, is a creative problem solver, multi-culturally competent and an experienced management professional.
As the Operations Director responsible for its day-to-day operations, Mark is a team player who drives the company’s training philosophy which is hands-on “Reality-Based Training” by putting the trainee’s effective learning journey at the center of the company’s focus.
Dynamic delivers operationally relevant, truly experiential, engaging, immersive and most importantly fun training which aligns with its motto ”We Entertain While We Train”.
This, compared to conventional training, ensures better learning outcomes, knowledge retention, and ultimately the effective transfer of greater skills and expertise to line operations, resulting in safer skies. The ultimate goal is to train aircrew to the level of proficiency and not just be compliant on paper.
Richard Koe is one of the founders of WINGX, which he developed over the last decade with his business partner Christoph Kohler, establishing WINGX as an industry-leading provider of market intelligence on the business and general aviation sector. WINGX serves hundreds of subscribers from across the industry with dashboards which relate data, analytics and insights on aircraft utilisation. In 2023, WINGX was purchased by JETNET LLC and is now a key component in the group’s build-out of ownership, valuation, equipment and flight data to the wider aviation market. Prior to WINGX, Richard worked in a variety of industries including telecom, oil & gas and security printing. Richard has a BA from Oxford and an MA from Johns Hopkins universities.
Stephan Krainer, CEO of PRIMUS AVIA, leads a team of aviation professionals that provides aircraft management, operations, and consulting services to private and corporate clients worldwide. With over 20 years of experience in the aviation industry, he has worked his way up through the ranks from a floor hangar engineer upwards.
Stephan is passionate about aviation and innovation and is committed to providing PRIMUS AVIA’s clients and partners with the highest quality, reliability, and honesty. He enjoys setting challenging goals for himself and learning something new every day, striving to make PRIMUS AVIA the leading provider of aviation solutions in the market.
Aviation has always been my passion, guiding me from leadership roles at Abelag, a cornerstone in European business jet operations, to the founding of JetHouse in Malta, which currently operates a Falcon 7X and a Challenger 605.
JetHouse was born from a desire to redefine what a boutique operation truly means. It’s not just about managing a fleet; it’s about committing to a size that ensures every client, whether they own an aircraft or charter one, receives our undivided attention and the highest standard of service. At JetHouse, we pledge to cap our future fleet of managed aircraft to 15, ensuring we never lose sight of our boutique ethos.
Our approach goes beyond the conventional. It’s about bringing a personal touch to every interaction, with a management team deeply involved in each client’s journey and a steadfast commitment to transparency and detail in the operational costs of our client’s assets. We believe in restoring the true essence of boutique operations—where size, human touch, and attention to detail converge to create unparalleled experiences. My journey, fuelled by honesty, respect, and transparency, has been about building a team that shares these values and is ready to challenge the norms and elevate private aviation across Europe. At JetHouse, we leverage Malta’s strategic advantages to offer a service that’s not just personalized but truly exceptional in terms of service and safety standards.
James Leach is the CMO of the Mountfitchet Group, a corporation which includes the world largest air charter broker, Air Charter Service, aircraft management company Voluxis, luxury travel agency The Travel Division and a number of other sub brands within the aviation and logistics verticals. The company generated Gross Revenues exceeding $1.3bn in the last financial year, arranged just under 40,000 flights and employs around 900 people.
Starting his career in aviation 2002 with Air Charter Service when the company was a pure cargo brokerage, James worked in the fledgling passenger division before taking over the marketing function in 2007, initially as the only marketeer, as the company sought to build a global brand in the private aviation space.
Since then he has built an extensive marketing team, launched group brands in 43 locations in 20 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, Greater China, India, The Middle East, CIS, Africa, Asia and Australasia with private aviation now becoming the company’s primary area of business.
The group has converted over 30,000 new customers through its various verticals, with marketing activity being the biggest driver of growth, giving James a unique perspective on marketing within the private aviation space.
Brendan is an experienced aviation professional as well as being an “ Accredited Senior Appraiser” (ASA) under the American Society of Appraisers.
After 18 years in Asset Finance Brendan joined the Lombard Aviation Unit in 2002 and joined the industry that he is passionate about.
In 2008 Brendan left the Banking & Finance sector when his employer Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Ltd went into administration and in 2009 he became an Aircraft Sales Broker working within the small team at JetBrokers Europe, where he significantly developed his knowledge, Skills & Experience within the Business Aviation Sector.
In 2016 Brendan left JetBrokers Europe to work on his own and in late 2017 he joined the great team at JSSI with the title “Advisory Services & Aircraft Acquisition Specialist”. During his time at JSSI Advisory Services Brendan became an Accredited Senior Appraiser under the American Society of Appraisers and was extensively involved in working with the Aircraft Appraisal Team with non-US clients providing Aircraft Valuation Appraisals and Aircraft Inspections for an array of clients including Banks, Lawyers, Aircraft Owners and Buyers and their Family Offices.
However, Brendan’s main role was at JSSI Parts & Leasing where he was responsible for Aircraft Acquisitions within a small team that was involved in the purchase of around 70 aircraft, mostly sourced for parts tear-down from numerous locations and different registers around the world.
In December 2024 Brendan retired from employed work at JSSI and formed his consultancy business with Richard Berkemeier, ASA of Pegasus Aircraft Appraisal Group, a well established appraiser in the USA. Together as partners they have established Pegasus Global Aircraft Appraisals to leverage the global appraisal market outside of the USA.
Additionally, In June 2025 Brendan proudly joined the team at International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) as Regional Director to support members in the International markets outside of the Americas.
Brendan now enjoys bringing many years of experience of aircraft transactions and advisory services to the sector and has an extensive contact list within the industry.
Kevin Macnaughton, Managing Director UK and ROW at Wheels Up, has a vast wealth of experience in the aviation industry spanning over 20 years.
Prior to his Air Partner appointment in 2019, over a period of 13 years Kevin held a number of senior roles at NetJets, the last being Company Director, Head of European Sales, where he led the planning and execution of the sales strategy.
As Managing Director at Wheels Up, he is focussed on delivering growth in the charter division, driving innovation, upselling and cross-selling all products across the organisation.
Kevin’s passion for private aviation was born out of the personalised customer experience, and the value private flying can offer in giving back precious time to HNWI’s and Corporate executives.
Originally from South Africa, Kevin is now settled in the UK with his family, where he enjoys playing golf and dog walks in his spare time.
Christopher Marich is an entrepreneur, co-founder and global strategy director of MySky.
Marich set up his first venture at the age of 14, a goods delivery service. He graduated from the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne with a degree in hospitality management and worked in the aviation industry for several years, later setting up his own aviation business, focused on charter capacity commercialization.
In 2015, together with his friend Kirill Kim, Marich noticed that management companies, consultants, and jet owners were struggling to manage their finances, provide transparent documentation, and maintain jet profits. So, they launched MySky and set out on a mission to bring standardization and transparency to the private aviation industry. Since then, it has grown into a globally recognized industry player with operations around the world and key strategic alliances with major aviation companies. It continues to offer a suite of innovative solutions and tools to further establish itself as the industry’s most powerful spend management platform.
Marich oversees MySky’s headquarters in Switzerland and is responsible for the overall strategy and development of the group.
Marich is a contributing writer for Bilan Magazine, a leading finance publication in Switzerland. He speaks fluent French, English, German, Spanish and a bit of Italian. He likes to ski and is currently a trainee pilot.
Rafael Melero is Managing Director of Gestair Aviation by Boost Air Group, one of Europe’s leading business aviation companies, where he oversees aircraft management and a comprehensive range of executive aviation activities, including CAMO, flight operations, training, safety, compliance, and aircraft acquisition and entry into service. An Aeronautical Engineer by background, he brings over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry and has complemented his technical expertise with executive education in business and management.
Throughout his career at Gestair, Rafael has held senior leadership roles across technical, quality, and operational areas, building a deep, end-to-end understanding of aircraft operations and their full lifecycle. His broad experience enables him to combine strong technical knowledge with a strategic vision of the business aviation market, positioning him as a recognized voice in the sector.
In his current role, he drives operational excellence and contributes to shaping the company’s strategic direction in increasingly complex and regulated environments. Rafael works closely with international aircraft owners and industry stakeholders, delivering integrated solutions that enhance performance, ensure the highest standards of safety and compliance, and maximize asset value. He is committed to advancing best practices and fostering collaboration across the global business aviation community.
As an experienced Business Aviation Director, Jasmina brings the know-how of business aviation operations and the point of view of Aircraft Operators and their Clients to the Azzera team. Apart from previously managing operational departments, Jasmina is also experienced in Aircraft Operator’s regulatory compliance concerns such as EU and Swiss ETS, UK ETS and CORSIA. Jasmina’s knowledge and leadership will bring true value-added benefits to Azzera’s client base when combining aviational operational concerns with sustainable action.
Captain Charles Pace began his career in aviation in 1979, initially taking up a summer position while still pursuing his studies. From the outset, he developed a deep and lasting commitment to the aviation industry, which has now spanned over 46 years.
Captain Pace’s career is distinguished by its breadth and progressive development across multiple aviation disciplines. He commenced as a Cabin Crew member, subsequently gaining experience in ground operations, before qualifying as a commercial pilot. He began flying the Boeing 737 as a First Officer and was promoted to Captain within a few years. He later became a Type Rating Instructor (TRI) and Type Rating Examiner (TRE) on the fleet and was appointed Chief Pilot Boeing 737 at the national airline.
In addition to his operational roles, Captain Pace has held several senior management positions, including Safety and Compliance Manager for the national carrier and Safety Manager for a private jet operator. His extensive operational and managerial expertise led to his appointment to the Board of Directors of the Malta Transport Authority.
Captain Pace currently serves as Director General for Civil Aviation, a position he has held for the past ten years, providing strategic leadership and regulatory oversight of Malta’s civil aviation sector. He is also a member of the National Security Committee and the Sanctions Monitoring Board, contributing to national-level policy and security decision-making. In addition, Captain Pace holds the position of Chairman of the JAA Training Organisation, further reflecting his longstanding commitment to aviation training, standards, and regulatory harmonisation.
Throughout his career, Captain Pace has represented Malta at numerous local and international aviation forums, regulatory meetings, and bilateral engagements, and is widely regarded for his comprehensive industry knowledge, leadership, and unwavering commitment to aviation safety and regulatory excellence.
Olivier Perdriel launched Skyfirst in 2012, building an aircraft management and charter company specialising in long-range and ultra-long-range jets. It was one of the first companies to obtain an operating certificate with Transport Malta and has developed a close working relationship with Maltese authorities ever since.
Perdriel began the company with one Learjet 45 aircraft. The company now operates a fleet of larger jets including the Falcon 8X and the Bombardier Global Express. The Skyfirst team prides itself on attentiveness to owners and their aircraft. The company is capable of performing virtually any charter mission.
Perdriel, 41, entered the aviation business at age 27 in 2010, managing sales at Le Bourget-based air ambulance firm Air Albatros. The very nature of the medevac business—quick response for critical missions—gave him a solid orientation in meeting high customer expectations on short notice and with attention to detail.
Perdriel is a 2009 graduate of Institute Supérieur de Gestion (ISG), one of France’s leading business schools. He is a board member of Aviation Sans Frontières, a charitable organization that transports medical personnel and supplies in Africa among its philanthropic endeavors.
Perdriel participates in operator advisory groups for major business aircraft and engine OEMS and for service providers such as simulator training companies. These activities help maintain close working relations with important providers.
The company also maintains offices in Paris and Geneva.
Paolo Sommariva is the CEO and Co-founder of FL3XX, a global leader business aviation management platform. Founded in Austria in 2010, FL3XX was built to revolutionize how charter operators, flight departments, and aircraft management companies manage their end-to-end operations. By integrating the most services on the market, automating workflows, and optimizing resources in real time, FL3XX enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and elevates customer satisfaction.
Before FL3XX, Paolo launched seaplane and regional airlines in Italy and held roles in operations, finance, and tech at General Electric, Virgilio.it, and Syntek. He also advises greentech and online service startups. Under his leadership, FL3XX continues to expand globally, leveraging automation and API-driven innovation, shaping the future of business aviation.
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.
Nigel Warren is the Regional Sales Manager for Strategic Accounts, EMEA at FlightSafety International, bringing more than 30 years of experience across general and business aviation.
His career spans a broad range of operational and commercial roles. Nigel has flown Falcon jets under Part 91 for a U.S. corporation, operated King Air aircraft for a Part 135 air ambulance provider, sold aerobatic aircraft within the EMEA region, and held extensive experience within flight operations and aircraft maintenance.
Managing Director, Aircraft Management and Charter
Graham Williamson is a senior leader with more than four decades of experience at the forefront of the global business aviation industry. He has held executive roles spanning airlines and aviation services across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including nearly two decades building and leading aircraft management and charter businesses. Most recently, Graham served as President of TAG Aviation Europe where he oversaw a multi-jurisdictional fleet and operations and has been a long-standing member of the European Business Aviation Association’s Board of Governors. At Gama Aviation, he leads strategic growth in aircraft management and charter, bringing deep operational insight, commercial leadership, and a reputation for industry-wide collaboration and innovation.
Roberto is Comercial Director at Gestair by Boost Air Group, one of Europe’s leading business aviation companies, where he is responsible for driving commercial strategy, business growth.
With nearly 30 years of experience in the aviation industry, he has built an extensive career in ground operations, FBO management, airport services, and executive leadership. Throughout his career at Gestair, he has held several positions within the Ground Operations Department before becoming Flight Dispatch Manager. Over the years, he has also assumed senior management roles including Director of Madrid FBO, Director of Handling and Airport Services, and FBO Business Unit Director.
From 2015 to 2025, he served as Managing Director of Sky Valet Spain, formerly Gestair FBO, leading the company through a decade of growth and consolidation within the European business aviation market. His experience combines strong operational expertise with a strategic understanding of customer service and airport operations.
Currently, he works closely with operators, aircraft owners, and industry partners to strengthen Gestair’s market position.
6-8pm: Welcome cocktail reception, with early registration available
Conference day one
09.00 Registration and morning refreshments
09.30 Welcome to Malta Alasdair Whyte, Corporate Jet Investor
09.35 The state of charter How big is the global market? What is the impact of the Iran conflict? North America versus the rest of the world Richard Koe, WingX
10.05 The big issues facing aircraft managers Charles Pace, Transport Malta
10.30 Choosing charter aircraft What should buyers look for? Should you choose the most popular aircraft of its type? Reselling high utilisation aircraft
Moderator: Brendan Lodge, IADA
Hunter Tweed, Guardian Jet
Marian Jancarik, JETRON
Warren Lovell, Leviate Air Group
Trevor Esling, Executive Jet Charter
11.10 Morning coffee sponsored by DC Aviation Group Malta
11.40Make aircraft management great The economics of aircraft management How many aircraft types make sense? How many AOCs do you need? When do you get economies of scale? Focus versus diversification Moderator: Alasdair Whyte, Corporate Jet Investor
Fabian Bello, Journey Aviation
Olivier Perdriel, Skyfirst
Rafael Melero, Gestair
Guy Farnfield, Hyperion Aviation
Stanley Bugeja, DC Aviation Joanne Goodall, TAG Aviation
12.20 Operating in high-risk environments Insurance rates and considerations How can operators judge risks?
Moderator: Alasdair Whyte, Corporate Jet Investor Gary Moran, Oneglobal Broking
Alice Tropoe, FliteWatch
Emad Fahem, GoCrisis
13.00 Lunch
14.00 EASA’s first 9000 days – was it good for you? EASA was founded on 12 July 2002, how has it worked out for business aviation? Moderator: Alasdair Whyte, Corporate Jet Investor
Graham Williamson, Gama Aviation
Julie Garland, Avtrain
14.40 Making operations more efficient Are there any easy wins?
Buying versus building software Moderator: Stephan Krainer, PRIMUS AVIA
Paolo Sommariva, FL3XX
Chris Marich, MySky
Hervé Laitat, JetHouse
15.20From the oil well to your aircraft How jet A1 moves around the world What determines pricing? SAF versus fossil jet fuel What’s next for pricing? Pablo Fexer, 360 Jet Fuel
15.50 Afternoon tea sponsored by DC Aviation Group Malta
16.30The state of pilot and crew training Finding slots How will VR/AR make a difference? Moderator: Robert Baltus, Zeusch Aviation
Mark Kammer, Dynamic Advanced Training Louise Dowson, flypeople
Nigel Warren, FlightSafety International
17.10 The rise of Brokerators Different charter models
Owning versus aircraft management
How much of an issue is owner approval? Moderator: Alasdair Whyte, Corporate Jet Investor
Roberto Zapatero, Gestair by Boost Air Group Kevin Macnaughton, Wheels Up
Felix Henderson, IJC
17.50 Closing Remarks
18.00 Cocktail reception hosted by Transport Malta
09.35 Triangulating tripartite agreements Who ultimately benefits?
Managing them when they go wrong
Can they be standardised? Moderator: Alasdair Whyte, Corporate Jet Investor
Oliver Tebbit, HFW
Graham Williamson, Gama Aviation
10.15 What does RefuelEU mean for you? How does it affect your operations? Jasmina Orsic, Azzera
10.35 The operator family office relationship: Expectations, Delivery and Exit What do owners expect at the outset and how does this change? Regulations versusowner demands Do operators lose when tri-partite agreements are enforced? How easy it is to change operator? Moderator: Fiona Healy, FCF Assets Michel Buffat, JetOcean Advisors
Allister Crossley, Dohle Aviation
Alice Tropoe, FliteWatch
11.15 Morning coffee sponsored by Gestair by Boost Air Group
11.40 Charter in the AI era What is holding back AI?
Do young customers even want to deal with a human? Toby Edwards, Victor
Tamas Hess, AirTamsi
12.20 Marketing aircraft management How can you reach the ultimate decision maker?
Who are the key influencers?
How powerful are pilots when choosing managers?
Moderator: Oscar Henderson, Corporate Jet Investor
James Leach, Mountfitchet Group
Olivier Perdriel, SkyFirst
Andrew Hodgson, Saxon Air Charter
13.00 Closing Remarks
13.05 Lunch
14.30 Valletta Waterside Reception
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