WASHINGTON — Airlink announces that seven new members have joined its Advisory Council and Board of Trustees. The three newest additions to the Advisory Council include: Bernard Gustin, CEO of Brussels Airlines; Norman Liu, President and CEO of GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS); and Ian Rodgers, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Operational Preparedness and Surge Capacity at Save the Children US. The four members that have joined the Board of Trustees are: Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman of CAPA – Centre for Aviation; Todd Kallman, President, retired, Pratt & Whitney CE; Ted Nozaki, Senior Vice President–Sales & Marketing at MC Aviation Partners Americas; and Mark Packard, Head-Transportation & Equipment Finance Risk of Americas Siemens.
“It’s an honor to welcome these seven new members to the select team of leaders that constitutes Airlink’s Advisory Council and Board of Trustees,” commented Steve Smith, Executive Director of Airlink. “Their addition is a testament to the growing awareness of Airlink and increases the value proposition for our airline and NGO partners given their diverse expertise and established industry relationships.”
Advisory Council Members
In 2008, Bernard Gustin was appointed co-CEO of Brussels Airlines. During the first year he concluded the partnership between Brussels Airlines and the Lufthansa Group, and the entrance of the Belgian airline into the global airline partnership Star Alliance. In January 2012, the Association of European Airlines (AEA) named Bernard Gustin as its new Chairman. During his two year term, Bernard Gustin acts on behalf of AEA’s 35 airline members which contribute €86 billion to the European economy. Since June 2012, Mr. Gustin has been the CEO heading Brussels Airlines. Bernard has an MBA from the Solvay Business School in Brussels.
As President and CEO of GECAS, Norman Liu is a 26-year veteran of GE Capital, with 18 years at GECAS. He first joined GE Capital in 1988 in the Transportation & Industrial Funding business where he managed the leasing, capital markets, and business development groups. Norman joined GECAS in 1995 and served as Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations from 1996 to 2009. Before joining GE, he held investment banking positions at Dean Witter Reynolds (now Morgan Stanley) and Samuel Montagu (now part of HSBC plc). Norman earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ian Rodgers has worked in the development and humanitarian sector for the past 20 years. Within the Save the Children Family, Ian was seconded to the Alliance Cooperation in Emergencies (ACE) as the global DRR advisor and Chair of the Global DRR working group, as well as Country Director for the Solomon Islands under Save the Children Australia as lead member and as interim Pacific Regional Manager. In addition to working with Save the Children, he has worked seven years with Medecins Sans Frontieres, as well as having worked for The Red Cross and the Global Facility for Disaster Risk at the World Bank. Having deployed and worked in over 30 countries around the world in both the Development and Humanitarian sectors, and the commercial and defense sector, he has significant experience in both complex emergencies and natural disasters. Ian holds a degree in Strategic Defense and International Relations, and a Masters in International Community Development.
Board of Trustees Members
Peter Harbison established CAPA in 1990. Over the past 20 years, Peter has conducted more than 200 consultancy projects in aviation, including airport privatizations, airline startups, strategy formulation and regulatory development. He has authored and/or edited numerous reports on the aviation industry, including a recent comprehensive 300-page report on the global low cost airline industry and a 1,000 page report, World Aviation Yearbook 2013. In addition to his responsibilities at CAPA, Mr. Harbison is an aviation lawyer, consultant and commentator on industry issues.
Todd Kallman is a proven business leader with over 30 years of international experience that include roles in general management, finance, and strategy & corporate development. In September 2013, Mr. Kallman retired as President from Pratt & Whitney. During his career at Pratt & Whitney, one of his major accomplishments includes leading the strategy that resulted in the business being selected to provide engines for five new commercial airplane programs. Todd has a BS Economics from California Polytechnic State University.
Ted Nozaki joined Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) in 2002 to strengthen their aircraft leasing business. In 2004, MC Aircraft Management International Inc. (MCAM) was established, and Ted accepted the position as General Manager of MCAM to lead Mitsubishi Corporation’s aircraft leasing business. Under Ted’s direction, MCAM quickly grew with the addition of a number of aviation professionals and increased MCAM’s aircraft portfolio. Ted graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering (naval architecture).
Mark Packard is the head of the Risk Management team covering Transportation and Equipment Finance transactions for Siemens Financial Services, Inc. (SFS), in the Americas. Mark began his career at Irving Trust and has worked at various global financial institutions, including Citigroup and various predecessor institutions that now form part of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Mr. Packard was also the original Director of Capital Markets for Virgin America, Inc., and was responsible for all aircraft and engine finance matters, as well as fuel expense hedging, while with the airline. Mr. Packard holds Bachelor of Arts (Japanese History & Language) and Master of International Affairs (International Finance & Banking) degrees.
The Airlink Advisory Council and Board of Trustees consist of senior professionals in the aviation industry and in humanitarian aid who volunteer their time to guide, promote and advance the Airlink program. Each member is dedicated to facilitating the recruitment of Airlines and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and providing industry insight and advice. The Council and Board is maintained through the members’ shared dedication and desire to assist both Airlines and NGO’s meet humanitarian needs around the world. To view a list of all the Council and Board members, visit AIRLINK Leadership.
