Innovation and change
Thursday morning, 19 October, began with exhibition breakfast and a session featuring inspirational speaker Nick Jankel. Jankel is a thought leader who has spent 25 years cracking the code of how to use science, wisdom and leadership tools to wrestle bold breakthroughs from the jaws of uncertainty, change and chaos. Jankel has run innovation programmes for Virgin Atlantic, hosted his own TV series on the BBC, spoken at the European Commission, at universities such as Yale and Sciences Po and advised organisations as diverse as Novartis and Nike as well as No. 10 Downing Street and his motivational session inspired debate and reflection amongst attendees.
Jankel commented on his motivational talk: “Liquid leadership is about being able to flex at speed; ideas, innovations, business models and operating models to maintain a fit with world changes. Such liquid leadership is about being able to take the shape of the space that we are offered, flowing into new spaces and opportunities as they emerge, just as water does. It means switching ourselves on to the weak signals that herald the shape of things to come so we can metabolise emerging problems and challenges into value that forges the future rather than fails it.”
Strategic issues
The ERA General Assembly is all about the association’s members and the final conference session, the ERA Annual General Meeting, gave members the opportunity to vote on strategic issues.
The results of the elections for the ERA Board were also announced, with Andrew Kelly, ASL Airlines Ireland, announced as the new ERA President. Carlos Bertomeu, Air Nostrum, and Jan Palmer were re-elected as Vice Presidents. Jörg Troester, Hahn Air Lines, was re-elected as a regular airline board member and Niki Karagoule Karageorgou, Sky Express, was elected as a new regular airline board member. Marco Balbo-Mossetto, SuperJet International, was re-elected as an associate board member. Andy Green, Jota Aviation, was announced as new affiliate board member, with Mikael Wångdahl, SAS External Production re-elected as board member in the same category.
New President Andrew Kelly commented: “I am delighted to have been appointed as ERA’s new President. I’m very much looking forward to working with the ERA leadership team and board members as we implement ERA’s future strategy and drive positive change in the European aviation industry”.
The news conferences also continued during day 3, with the Airline of the Year Gold award winner TAP express operated by Portugália Airlines and the winner of the Airport of the Year London City Airport presenting. Following the AGM and the news conferences, the ERA General Assembly concluded with one final opportunity for networking over lunch in the exhibition area.
The ERA General Assembly was one again a great success with so many members attending and making the most of all the conference sessions and functions and of course enjoying sunny Athens, the perfect setting for this year’s event.