2022 Speakers

David has worked in the Defence and Civil aviation industry for more than 40 years. Prior to taking up his current appointment as CEO Port Hedland International Airport, David was General Manager Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Airports and General Manager Aviation Operations at Townsville International Airport, Mount Isa Airport and Longreach Airport.

Ryan has most recently been working in zero-emission aviation as the Asia Pacific Region Lead for Embraer’s spin-off company EVE Air Mobility. He is also the former CEO of Cobham Australia – contract aviation group with 50 aircraft, 1300 staff in 14 locations.

Todd is the principle of Leading Edge Management Consulting and works with organisations who need support and expertise going through complex change and transformation. Todd leverages proven systems and personal skills honed in more than 25 years of working in senior roles within Australia’s most successful airlines. 

Mike Fisher joined Airport Lighting Specialists Pty Ltd in 1999, after 10 years at a NATA photometric laboratory.  Now as a Member of the Illuminating Engineering Society (North America) and Managing Director of ALS he is widely regarded for his knowledge and experience in all forms of airfield ground lighting.

Melissa is a senior associate aviation engineer with over 15 years of experience both internationally and within Australia.  Relocating to the UK provided opportunities working on large international airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Dublin as well as challenging projects in West Africa, Brazil and Turkey.

With a strong technical background of master’s degree in electrical engineering and Bachelor’s degree in Avionics, Taylor Diao has worked in technology sectors for 10 years. He has received an award for his smart industry project using sensor technologies, communication network and machine learning algorithm.  He also has a publication in aviation communication technology.

North Queensland Airports (NQA) operates Cairns Airport and Mackay Airport. As NQA’s Environment Manager, Lucy leads the company’s Environment Strategy, with a focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation, waste reduction, resource sustainability, biodiversity protection and pollution prevention.

Employed in the aviation industry since 2006 in a number of roles across ground handling, customer service, training and aerodrome operations. I am passionate about the aviation industry and strive to make positive impacts through my role as Coordinator Airport Operations & Compliance at Ballina Byron Gateway Airport as well as engaging with GHA team members across Australia through my training role with Industry Delivered Training delivering nationally recognised qualifications in the Aviation sector.

Matt Lee is the co-founder and CEO of OACIS, the world’s only full-functionality, off-airport check-in solutions company. He has over 30 years of aviation experience gained across Australia, Asia and the UK and most recently was the COO of Qantas Domestic. His aviation career has included stints at Ansett Australia, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Qantas Airways as well as consulting to SwissAir, SAA, Malaysia Airways, SAS, Swissport and Melbourne Airport.

Peter led the South Australian Labor Party to victory at the March 2022 state election becoming the 47th Premier of South Australia.

Vanessa Hudson has been Qantas Group Chief Financial Officer since 2019. She oversees financial planning and analysis, treasury, procurement and investor relations. With the onset of COVID, Vanessa has had a pivotal role in navigating the enormous impact of what has been an unprecedented crisis for global aviation on the national carrier’s balance sheet.

Paul Lindwall is a Commissioner with the Productivity Commission, with a focus on macroeconomic policy, financial markets, industry policy, national security and social policy. Paul has served as a senior official with the Australian Treasury, the Department of Finance and was a senior economic adviser to the then Treasurer, Hon. Peter Costello MP and then Leader of the Opposition Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP. 

Rob is the Project Director for Perth’s New Runway and also oversees infrastructure planning for the airport estate and the corporate spatial data offering.

Louisa is the Airfield Infrastructure Asset Manager at Melbourne Airport, responsible for managing the airfield assets from whole life cycle perspective, developing airfield performance management strategies and asset management plan, provision of engineering technical expert advice and design review input and asset life cycle budgetary planning.

Ilona is a retail master planning and leasing specialist having worked across Australia over the past 25 years- predominantly in Shopping Centre and Hybrid asset developments for a number of ASX listed property trusts and private family businesses.

Mark Wilson is an aviation professional working at Melbourne Airport as the Head of Airfield after relocating from Auckland, NZ earlier this year. Along with 14 years of airport operational experience gained through Auckland Airport and Melbourne Airport Mark has held a PPL license for fixed wing aircraft, has gained a Bachelor of Aviation Management through Massey University, and is in the final month of completing an Executive MBA, also through Massey University.

Rob Porter is the Executive General Manager of Operations for NT airports under ADG Management (Darwin International Airport, Alice Springs Airport and Tennant Creek Airport). Rob has more than 30 years’ experience in the aviation industry including 11 years managing operations at the Mackay and the Gold Coast airports and almost two decades with Airservices ARFFS in operations, progressing from aviation fire fighter to Chief Fire Officer. 

The Hon John Sharp AM is the Deputy Chairman of Rex Airlines, Chairman of Pel-Air Aviation and was a former Minister for Transport in the Federal Government.

Rob is the Regulation & Public Policy Global Lead for Eve Air Mobility, the Embraer backed startup dedicated to accelerating the global Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem. Previously he was Executive General Manager Safety, Environment & Assurance at Airservices Australia, where he was a member of the Executive for six years.