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Programme
- Welcome Cocktail
Venue: Hall 1, Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre
- Welcome & Keynote Addresses
Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni•Stefano Baronci•Olivier Jankovec•Luis Felipe de Oliveira•HE. Eng. Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali- SA
Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni
Chief Executive Officer of Oman Airports; Chair of ACI World Governing Board 
Stefano Baronci
Director General of ACI Asia Pacific
Olivier Jankovec
Director General of ACI EUROPE
Luis Felipe de Oliveira
Dirctor General at ACI World- HA
HE. Eng. Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali
Minister of Transport, Communications & IT
- SA
- Innovation Ready Leaders – How to Develop a Corporate Culture with Embedded Innovation
Emmanuel Menanteau•Selahattin Bilgen•Armando Brunini•Jan Willem KappesAirport Leaders will discuss how to embed a culture of innovation within the airport ecosystem and the challenges they are facing. How to encourage innovation from the top and to have it adopted and embraced across the airport, and the balance between adoption and adaptation of innovative ideas.
When and how to introduce changes, and how a corporate culture can be inclusive of both innovation and human adaptation, for an airport to thrive in the quality of its operations and services. Finally, Is a culture of innovation unique to every airport, or can elements of its success be replicated between different airports, based on their size, location, air traffic, financial capacity, current workforce.
Emmanuel Menanteau
Area Director, United States, Northern & Eastern Europe and South-East Asia of VINCI Airports; President of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East
Selahattin Bilgen
Chief Executive Officer at iGA Istanbul Airport
Armando Brunini
Chief Executive Officer of S.E.A. S.p.A.; President of ACI EUROPE
Jan Willem Kappes
Senior Vice President Global Sales at Assaia International AG
- F5G All Optical Solution Enables Smart Airports
Lei XinghuaWith industry trends and new technologies constantly in flux, how can we build a green smart airport that is easy to expand, simple in architecture, ultimate in experience, and fully connected? We will present the next-generation all optical based network and optical sensor perimeter solution based on service scenarios.
Lei Xinghua
Vice President of Enterprise Optical Business Domain at Huawei
- Coffee Break
- Meet the Giants: A New Journey Towards The Future
Mohamed Afifi•Pedro Alves•Reem Asaad•Andy Bien•Martin Bowman•Ghassan KostaThe aviation ecosystem is reaching new heights of unprecedented transformation through innovation in technology. We are inviting you to explore the dynamic intersection of airport operations and technology, as we bring together tech industry titans.
Airports are not only hubs for travelers but also for groundbreaking technological advancements. As we look toward the horizon, we recognize the profound influence of tech giants on the aviation ecosystem. These companies are shaping the future of passenger experience, redefining operations, and driving sustainability efforts in ways previously unimagined.
In this discussion we will be exploring the importance of innovation and learn from their vision how they include innovation within the DNA of their organizations to innovate and disrupt industries.
Moreover, collaboration is key towards “Innovation”, we will discuss insights on their partnership and initiatives that can support the aviation ecosystem to keep up with technological advancement and exploit the innovation opportunities across the airports industry as a whole.
Mohamed Afifi
Head of Sales GCC at Amazon Web Services
Pedro Alves
VP Global Business Development – Extended Borders at IDEMIA
Reem Asaad
Vice President, Middle East & Africa at Cisco
Andy Bien
Chief Digital Officer, Global Aviation at Huawei
Martin Bowman
Director, Aviation and Transport, Consulting of Deloitte MCS Limited
Ghassan Kosta
General Manager at Google Cloud
- eVTOL – A New Way to Fly
Joyce Abou Moussa•James Cole•Daniel O'neill•Hyung-Kyu WooThe emergence of electric-powered Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban, suburban, and rural operations is exponential. eVTOL operations utilize the uncongested, low-altitude airspace to transport people and objects to locations that are either not traditionally served by existing modes of transportation or to compete with other existing modes of transportation. There are estimates that this disruptive new airborne technology could potentially become a USD500 billion-plus industry.
Nonetheless, the road to development of this promising industry is full of challenges – infrastructure, utilities, air traffic control, public acceptance, digital supporting systems, standards, certifications and regulations, just to name a few. With targeted operation launch in 2024 and 2025 in Europe and Asia respectively, there are still a lot of work to be done to ensure eVTOL’s seamless integration to the existing aviation ecosystem.
In this session, we will hear from prominent investors, infrastructure developers and eVTOL manufacturers on making this sci-fi invention becomes a reality.
Joyce Abou Moussa
Deputy Director, Business Development of GROUPE ADP
James Cole
Global Head of Future Aviation at Mott MacDonald Limited
Daniel O'neill
Regional Manager (Middle East) at Skyports
Hyung-Kyu Woo
Senior Manager of Advanced Air Mobility Office at Korea Airports Corporation
- Policy Updates – eVTOL
Aidan FlanaganACI EUROPE is giving vertiport operators the opportunity to join the association as Regular Members. In this session, we will present some of the key policy issues for airports in developing vertiports and discuss Advanced Air Mobility concepts.
Aidan Flanagan
Director of Airport Capacity & Operations at ACI EUROPE
- Networking Lunch
- Sponsor Brief – İGA Istanbul Airport
Tunc Cavcav
Tunc Cavcav
Head of İGA Academy at İGA Istanbul Airport.
- Ecosystem Innovation for Net Zero Aviation – Where we stand and the way forward
Laurent Boisson
Laurent Boisson
Corporate Affairs, Head of External Affairs at Airbus
- Design of Future Airports
Alfio FaroFuture Airports – Imaging the airports of tomorrow, with focus on futuristic airport designs, sustainable architecture, self-driving shuttles, and smart infrastructure for seamless connectivity.
Alfio Faro
Senior Partner at Studio Fuksas
- Aviation in Metaverse
Seokhyun SonAirports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are exploring the infinite possibilities of the metaverse which underlines the enormous potential of the technology. With the advent of metaverse, airports can now build experiences that bridge the physical and digital worlds.
Few airports have demonstrated that the metaverse has the ability to alter airport experience to a never-before-seen level by offering a realistic and fascinating airport experience. This technology has the potential to make travel more delightful by allowing passengers to familiarize themselves with airport infrastructure, operations, and procedures prior to their actual trip. This creates a realistic atmosphere in which users may practice and become acquainted with the airport procedure.
Seokhyun Son
Senior researcher at Incheon International Airport Corporation
- Symbiosis of Human and Nature in An Airport Space
Charu Kokate
Charu Kokate
Senior Partner at Safdie Architects
- Sponsor Brief • KONE
Said Al Mahruqy
Said Al Mahruqy
Service Key Account Manager at KONE Oman
- Coffee Break
- Innovation on Digital Transformation
Hisham S. DekmakDuring this session, TAV Technologies will explain the realm of optimizing airport operations through the deployment of state-of-the-art airport technology solutions. The critical role played by digitalization in the aviation industry will be emphasized and it will be explained how airports can smoothly integrate technology and sustainable practices to improve operational efficiency, make the most of resource utilization, and establish new revenue streams.
Hisham S. Dekmak
Manager, Sales & Business Development, Middle East & Africa at TAV Technologies
- How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Future Passenger Experience at Airports
Basim Al Lawati•Steve Armitage•Jihad Boueri•Kazumi Hiraoka•Federico CabreraArtificial intelligence (A.I.) has woven into almost every industry and it is increasingly being applied in many aspects by airports to improve operational efficiency and enhance overall passenger experience. Some common examples of application at airports include chatbots service, real-time baggage tracking, facial recognition for check-in and boarding, predictive data analysis for process optimisation and more. As the technology continues to mature and develop, many foresee that A.I. and big data will certainly be the key drivers in propelling airports to transform for the future.
In this panel, you will hear from the speakers on the opportunities and challenges of the growing adoption of A.I. at airports, and how airport operators can further leverage A.I. and big data in the future to streamline operations and deliver the next-level travel experience with a truly frictionless and personalised journey for passengers.
Basim Al Lawati
Vice President, Infrastructure & Security at Oman Airports Management Company
Steve Armitage
Head of Technology, Design and Innovation at Heathrow Airport Limited
Jihad Boueri
Vice President Strategy & Innovation, MEA region at SITA
Kazumi Hiraoka
General Manager, DX Development and Planning Department, Corporate Planning Division at Narita International Airport Corporation
Federico Cabrera
Operations and Passenger Experience Manager at Aeropuertos Uruguay
- Gala Dinner
📍Crown Plaza Qurum (Pool Lawn)
Address: 112 Ruwi Street Qurum Heights، 1455, Muscat
Shuttle Bus Schedule:
Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre <–> Gala venue: 18:00
Crowne Plaza OCEC <–> Gala venue: 18:30
Gala venue <–> Crowne Plaza OCEC: 21:30
- Registration
- Brand Strategy and Innovation: New Steps for Customer-Centric Brand Innovation
Claus Grunow•Jérôme Lepage•Shalini Rao•Yousuf Al-BulushiAirports are evolving from simply being transit hubs to captivating destinations for both travelers and non-travelers alike. As a result, airport operators are investing substantial resources in comprehensive marketing and branding strategies to establish themselves as reputable brands.
Conventional marketing approach has now been replaced with innovative strategies. This includes digital storytelling and hosting live shows to create a dynamic and engaging environment. Loyalty programmes, a concept previously unheard of in the context of airports, have now become part of the strategies aimed at building a positive perception among passengers.
Showcasing art and culture is another way to create a sense of place. As a gateway to the city and nation it serves, airports are harnessing the power of influencer marketing to engage with audiences beyond its catchment area. With innovative marketing and branding initiatives, airports are striving to create lasting impressions and ultimately drive revenue streams.
This session will deep dive into the innovative marketing and branding concepts embraced by airports to enhance their brand equity.
*More speakers to come
Claus Grunow
Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Digitalization at Fraport
Jérôme Lepage
Marketing & Business Development Director of JCDecaux
Shalini Rao
Chief Marketing Officer at Bangalore International Airport Limited
Yousuf Al-Bulushi
Founder & Chief Executive Officer of AWJ Innovation
- Airport 4.0: What does it take to get the journey started?
Mohamed AminIndustry 4.0 in the airport domain (Airport 4.0) signifies the full process of digitalization, operational excellence, enhanced passenger experience, and further emphasis on monetization, facilitating cost improvements as well as reducing the carbon footprint.
During the journey towards airport 4.0, connectivity plays an ever increasing role. In fact, it becomes an essential strategic production asset to the airport, as important as your runway!
This presentation will discuss the pivotal connectivity options that will form the foundation for Airport 4.0 as well as covering various real-life airport case studies embracing these connectivity solutions.
Mohamed Amin
Head of Digital Transformation, Middle East & Africa at Nokia
- Airport Innovation Hubs: Playground for Transformation
Rashid Hamood Al Busaidi•SGK Kishore•Benjamin Kloss•Pablo Lopez Loeches•Giulio Ranucci•Antoine RostworowskiMany airports around the world are pushing the boundaries of innovation by setting up incubator labs /innovation hubs on their premises, creating a collaborative meeting platform for start-ups, developers and tech experts and allow live testing of technology products and services within their airports.
It is with these creative platforms where success may achieve through dual benefit of airports get to implement the latest technologies and small start-ups and individual developers can enjoy useful financial backing at the start, as well as use the airport as real-life testing ground from concept to commercialization later on.
In this sessions, veterans of these Airports Innovation hubs will be presenting their stories on implementing Airports Innovation hubs and showcase their best success project nurtured from these hubs.
Rashid Hamood Al Busaidi
Digital Transformation Director of Oman Airports Management Company
SGK Kishore
Executive Director of Hyderabad International Airport Limited
Benjamin Kloss
Director of Plug And Play Abu Dhabi
Pablo Lopez Loeches
Head of Ideation & Entrepreneurship Division at Aena
Giulio Ranucci
Head of innovation & Digital at Aeroporti di Roma
Antoine Rostworowski
Senior Vice President, Programmes and Commercial Services at ACI World
- Airport Share: Data Sharing At Airports
Thomas RomigData is the new gold. Data is a critical asset. Data should be shared. Discover the Airport Share platform that will revolutionize the sharing of data by airports to improve operational performance, further develop customer experience and drive-up new revenue streams.
Thomas Romig
Vice President Safety, Security and Operations at ACI World
- Coffee Break
- Aviation in the Metaverse 2.0
Shivagami GuganAs the metaverse continues to evolve, the aviation industry will have to adapt and innovate to ensure it remains at the forefront of this technological revolution. We will hear from the perspective of a pioneer of the tech industry and we will delve deep into the potential benefits of the metaverse and how it will transform the aviation industry in the future.
Shivagami Gugan
Chief Technologist at Amazon Web Services
- The PAX Journey Experience: Accessibility as a key component to the human engineering of an airport space
Stine MarsalDiscover the business benefits of inclusion and accessibility. A strategic operational focus on these aspects for people with hidden disabilities enhances PAX experience, yielding turnover growth, streamline processes, and reduce conflicts for staff. Former Copenhagen Airport Service Excellence Director, Stine Marsal, shares practical implementation insights and quantifies the resulting positive impacts on business though specific and thought provoking examples. As a top Scandinavian CX authority, she is the CEO of a CX leaders learning community and serves as Regional Director of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower in the EU.
Stine Marsal
Regional Director of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
- Insuring Success: Sustainable Risk Management for Airports
Talal Darras•KJ Devasia•Stefan J. Rüter•Sara SabtJoin this engaging panel discussion featuring industry experts, risk management professionals, and insurance specialists as they delve into the critical intersection of risk management, sustainability, and resilience in the airport business. Explore how sustainable practices, including renewable energy, water conservation, and waste reduction, can effectively mitigate risks and enhance the resilience of airports. Gain valuable insights into navigating the key risks faced by airports, such as natural disasters, terrorism, and cyber threats, and discover the role of risk management and insurance in mitigating these risks. Learn from the experiences and expertise of our panelists as they share effective risk management strategies, insurance options, and best practices for creating sustainable and resilient airport environments. Discover how to address the challenges of financing and insuring sustainable projects in the airport industry and join the conversation on shaping the future of risk management and sustainability in airport operations.
*More speakers to come!
Talal Darras
Senior Vice President, Strategic Risk Consulting Leader IMEA at Marsh
KJ Devasia
Assistant Vice President and Head - Enterprise Risk and Corporate Resilience at Bangalore International Airport Ltd
Stefan J. Rüter
SVP Controlling and Financial Planning at Fraport
Sara Sabt
Director Risk Management of Gulf Air Group
- Airports of Tomorrow
Rana NawasA Financing Toolkit for the Airports of Tomorrow. Airport infrastructure is going through a green transition that will enable the decarbonization of the aviation industry. The World Economic Forum, Airports Council International (ACI) World, and Oliver Wyman have collaborated to produce a toolkit to help airports determine the most efficient and effective ways to finance that transformation. The key insights from this report will be presented during this session.
Rana Nawas
Partner, Transportation & Services at Oliver Wyman
- GenAI: How to boost non-aeronautical revenues
Khalid Ahmed AlhosniGenerative AI presents new opportunities for airport management to boost non-aeronautical revenue streams. By leveraging advanced natural language capabilities, generative AI can help create targeted retail, dining, and entertainment concepts that align with passenger demographics and preferences. Additionally, generative AI could aid in redesigning dynamic digital advertising platforms, allowing airports to tailor promotions and partnerships in real-time based on passenger flow, seasonal travel trends, and other data sources. With generative AI's creative potential, airport managers can develop innovative revenue-generating amenities, services, and promotions that complement the core aviation business. While ensuring efficient and safe core operations remains the priority, generative AI gives airport management an emerging tool to creatively boost non-ticket sources of revenue.
Khalid Ahmed Alhosni
Chief Executive Officer at K.A. Consultants LLC
- Networking Lunch
- Unveiling the Hidden Impact: Baggage Journey's Role in Decarbonizing Aviation
Clive McNabbWhy focus on baggage? What steps to take? How to include the entire value chain? What's next? The travel industry carries considerable baggage. The carbon footprint of baggage journeys has remained hidden in plain sight for too long. It is time to focus on reducing the environmental impact of the baggage journey to holistically decarbonize the aviation industry. In this presentation, we will delve into the significance of the baggage journey for Net Zero Aviation, catalyze awareness, inspire action and include the whole value chain. From awareness raising to concrete action let’s drive change to decarbonise the baggage journey.
Clive McNabb
Airport Digitalisation Lead at NACO, Netherlands Airport Consultants
- New Paths to Accessibility for People with Disabilities
Ali Al Gergawi•Mansur Arslan•Kirk Goodlet•Stine MarsalConsidering that technology is one of the fundamental means of achieving a more barrier-free transportation system, innovative solutions are implemented to facilitate the journey of passengers with disabilities and those with reduced mobility. Digital accessibility is also one of the pillars of the ACI Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Program (AEA). Learn how airports are enhancing a seamless travel experience with new paths to accessibility.
*More speakers to come!
Ali Al Gergawi
Director - Government Affairs of Dubai Airports
Mansur Arslan
Senior Manager of Digital Applications and Software Development at iGA Istanbul Airport
Kirk Goodlet
Senior Director of InterVISTAS ConsultingStine Marsal
Regional Director of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
- The future of us: the evolution of airport workforce
Kashif Khalid•David Wilson•Saud Abdul Aziz Al Azizi•Fabio Gamba•Ada TseThree years of pandemic has reshaped the global economy and resulted in reallocation of human capital. Many professionals in aviation with transferable skills have left the industry for better and clearer career opportunities. It is evident that, with markets relaxing administrative travel restrictions, some sectors in the industry struggles to accommodate and support the pent-up demand due to workforce shortages.
While technological advancement and the implementation of automated equipment can help alleviating the pressure on existing workforce by enhancing efficiency and productivity, there are unique capabilities of ours that no machines can ever replace, including our ingenuity, dedication and commitment. Our greatest asset lies within our people – passionate and devoted individuals who bring knowledge and unwavering determination to every touch point at our airports and every process behind the scene of our journeys.
As such, it makes retaining, developing, and upskilling aviation workforce an utmost priority.
This session invites human resource experts from around the world to share their initiatives in ensuring our aviation workforce are ready for the future.
*More speakers to come!
Kashif Khalid
Regional Director - Africa & Middle East of International Air Transport Association
David Wilson
Managing Partner - Aviation at Dublin Airport Authority International
Saud Abdul Aziz Al Azizi
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of TRANSOM HANDLING
Fabio Gamba
Director General of Airport Services Association
Ada Tse
Director, Business Development and Marketing of Hong Kong International Aviation Academy Limited
- Closing Remarks
- Post-Conference Tour
Tour 1: Oman Across Ages Museum + Nizwa Tour
Tour 2: Muscat Tour (Matrah Souq and National Museum)
Tour 3: Airport Tours
For more details, please visit the 'Post-Conference Tours' page.
*Programme (including topics, speakers, etc.) is subject to further amendments without prior notice.