THE 19TH ANNUAL AIRLINE STRATEGY AWARDS 19 JULY 2020 BRIEFING DOCUMENT strategyawards.com Introduction The Airline Strategy Awards are unique First held in 2002, as the industry struggled to emerge moved to the IATA AGM in Washington DC, linking in from crisis, the Airline Strategy Awards recognise the with the celebration of a Century of Powered Flight. in the air-transport industry, launched by crucial role that management talent plays in shaping Airline Business to recognise excellence future success. They are open to any senior executives, In 2005, the event returned to London, to Middle or airline teams, that have demonstrated excellence Temple Hall, another key piece of London’s legal in boardroom leadership. over the last year in setting out strategy in their area history, on the bank of the River Thames. and seeing it through to success. From 2006 to 2013, the event was back within the The inaugural event, in July 2002, took place on the impressive setting of the Great Hall Lincoln’s Inn and eve of the Farnborough Airshow, in the magnificent returned in 2014 to Middle Temple Hall. For 2018 and setting of the Great Hall of Lincoln’s Inn - home to 2019, the event took place in the Prince Consort Rooms, London’s oldest legal community. In 2003, the Awards where it will return to in 2020. strategyawards.com INTRODUCTION Who’s invited? The guest list for The Airline Strategy Awards has always been composed of a highly select group of individuals to reflect the senior readership level that Airline Business has within the air transport industry. Numbers are strictly controlled, with over 200 guests attending the 2019 event. The list naturally focuses on the airline boardroom, but there is a strong mix of other influential professionals, including academics, journalists, financiers and analysts. Spouses are also invited, to help ensure a relaxed and social environment in which this senior group of peers can network. Highlights from the 2019 event Type of organisation Job role Airline ......................21% Finance/ leasing......... 8% Associate/analyst ....... 2% Manager Airport .......................6% OEM/ supplier ........16% CEO/ Chief/Board /executive .................8% Association ...............8% Other .......................27% /CCO/chair .............21% Other .......................45% Consulting ..............14% Director/Head of/VP /principle .................25% strategyawards.com INTRODUCTION Who attended in 2019? Airports Airlines Aviado Partners Air Canada Finnair South African Airways Centrus Aviation Capital AirBaltic IAG Swissport UK & Ireland Fredericton Int. Airport British Airways Jetstar Group TUI fly Deutschland London City Airport Delta Air Lines Kenya Airways Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd London Stansted Airport EasyJet Lufthansa WestJet Tampa International Airport Emirates Norwegian AGK Sourcing Consultrancy Limited (Heathrow Airport) OEM/suppliers/finance/leasing/consulting/associations/other Accenture Blackstock Consulting Global Eagle Pembroke and Rye Access Group Boeing Gravity Global Reed Exhibitions Aerobility Boston Consulting Group GTLK EUROPE DAC Reuters African Aviation Services Brand Finance Hillbrook Partners RPK Capital Air Transport Action Group CFM International IAG RShah Advisory LLC Airbus Chapman Freeborn Airchartering IATA Saudia Cargo Ltd Aircraft Interiors Expo ICF SkyOps Consulting Limited Cirium Airline Management Group JLS Consulting SmartKargo Collins Aerospace Airline/Aircraft Projects Inc. Johnson Matthey Snowfall Ltd Commsoft OASES AIRLINEPROS INC Junction Communications Standard Chartered Bank Crabtree Capital AirlinePros Inc. JWMConsulting Star Alliance CTAIRA Airlines UK Kazmunaygas Stobart Group DDCL Amadeus Knighthood Capital Through The Looking Glass Ltd Dunleavy White Amedeo Korn Ferry Travelport DVV Media Aviationwise Ltd Latitude Aviation TYM Aviation Inc. EQUUS Global Aviation LLC Bain & Company Lease Corporation International Visit Japan ERA Baldwin Editorial Leidar Volantio falko regional aircraft BAR UK OdgersBerndtson XXL Solutions Franke & Co BBAM Oliver Wyman GE Aviation BKH Aviation Ltd Panasonic strategyawards.com INTRODUCTION 2019 Award categories The Airline Strategy Awards cover the main functions that make up a successful airline leadership team, from the chief executive down. The judges will look for individuals, or executive teams, who have demonstrated memorable and measureable achievements in these areas over the past year. Here are the categories from The Airline Strategy Awards in 2019. Executive Sector Leadership Low-cost Finance Leadership For the chief executive and Leadership For the management team that has management team demonstrating demonstrated excellence in any aspect For the airline president/chief executive excellence leading a carrier providing For the chief executive and of airline finance over the past year. who has demonstrated outstanding strong transportation links within a management team that have This includes, but is not restricted strategic thinking and leadership over the market sector. demonstrated excellence in leading a to, recognition for a wide variety of past year. low-fare or ultra-low-fare carrier. This potential accomplishments including includes airlines that predominantly This category applies to all types major financial transactions, mergers operate in one geographic region, The Award recognizes the of carriers - including scheduled, & acquisitions, innovative asset offering low-fare, short-haul services achievement of the individual charter, passenger, cargo, and others or corporate financing strategies, and also the growing number of executive, rather than the airline, - operating either independently or financial restructuring programs, and longer-haul operators that are based on areas such as: serving mainline network majors. cost reduction initiatives. adopting the (ultra) low-fare model. • Strong people/team leadership Achievements should demonstrate • Success in business transformation and Among the key criteria are market success in laying down and completing restructuring stimulation through low fares, a sound financial plan, with note taken • Establishing a clear corporate vision maintaining a tight grip on costs of broader implications for the industry • Setting an innovative strategic and production integrity, and taking as a whole. direction innovative approaches to growing ancillary revenue streams. Particular note will be taken of achievements that have strategic lessons/ application for the wider industry. strategyawards.com INTRODUCTION 2019 Award categories Marketing Digital Innovation The Airline Diversity in For the management team that has For the airline management team Business Award Leadership demonstrated excellence in any that has demonstrated innovation in aspect of airline marketing over the the development and deployment of This special award is made by Airline This special award is made by Airline past year. This includes excellence digital technology. Business to recognize an individual Business and Korn Ferry’s Civil Aviation and innovation in areas including, but making a lasting strategic contribution Practice to recognize an airline to the air transport business. Unlike organisation that has advanced diversity, not restricted to, marketing strategy, This includes recognising airlines the other awards, the final decision in the broadest sense of the word, in its new product development, branding, making significant investment into rests with the Airline Business team leadership. digital marketing, advertising and identifying and cultivating ideas and represents recognition of strong promotion, customer relationship delivering innovation, and where leadership and strategic thinking. management, ancillary revenue their digital technology strategy is The winner is chosen based on generation, sales, and distribution. benefiting the passenger experience. achievement in areas such as increasing Such recognition will focus on where the diversity of a leadership team; Such recognition will focus the specific deployment of technology promoting and advancing the careers on evidence of a focused and is having industry-wide implications. of diverse leaders; and creating differentiated marketing strategy organisational conditions that contribute which has helped to strengthen or to attracting and retaining diverse reshape a carrier’s overall market leaders and professionals. positioning with strong commercial and financial results. strategyawards.com INTRODUCTION 2019 Judging panel Montie Brewer Barbara Cassani Christina Cassotis Alex De Gunten Montie Brewer was chief executive of Air Barbara Cassani began her career in Christina Cassotis has been chief executive Alex de Gunten is the business Canada between December 2004 and April management consulting in the USA and at Allegheny County Airport Authority in development officer of HEICO Aerospace 2009. Prior to Air Canada, he was senior UK then held a variety of roles at British Pittsburgh, since January 2015 and director Corp, based in Miami. From 2003 to vice-president planning at United Airlines. He Airways, culminating in the start-up of its of S&T Bank since 2017. Prior to this, 2013 he served as executive director of has also held senior positions at Northwest low-cost subsidiary Go in 1997. Cassani Cassotis worked for consultancy ICF SH&E the Latin American and Caribbean Air Airlines, Republic Airlines, Braniff and established the successful London 2012 where she held various positions including Transport Association