Head of Legal & Corporate Affairs, British American Tobacco International Ltd (BAT)

Danika Ahr joined British American Tobacco (BAT) in 2001 as legal counsel for the Swiss domestic market. She then moved to a regional legal role in BAT London headquarter working on various reorganization and commercial projects for the Africa Middle East, Europe and Latin America regions prior to moving to Canada where she advised the Marketing function on both domestic and travel retail activities. Danika returned to Switzerland in July 2009 to take a new position as Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs for British American Tobacco International limited where she mainly supports the travel retail team.

Danika qualified as a lawyer in 2000.

Chief Commercial Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC)

Huraiz joined Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) in September 2009 as the Chief Commercial Officer.

Brought on board to help direct and drive the growing commercialization agenda at ADAC, Huraiz is responsible for building momentum, optimizing returns and delivering on the policy agenda of the Government of Abu Dhabi. In addition, he oversees all aspects of commercial development including cargo, airport services, property and business developments, as well as retail, in-flight catering and advertising business.

An MBA graduate in marketing from the American University in USA, Huraiz started his career with the erstwhile Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) in 1999 as the Manager of Press Relations and Communications in the Marketing and Corporate Communications Directorate.

Apart from his managerial position, he also headed the ‘Dubai International Airport Cares’ Team, which plays a central role for enhancing customer service at the Airport. He was also appointed as Secretary General of the DCA and was named as the official spokesperson for the Department. After five successful years; Huraiz was appointed as the Director of the Commercial Directorate in September 2005.

When Dubai Airports Company was created in 2007, Huraiz was appointed as the Vice President of the Commercial Unit. He also represented Dubai Airports as a Board Member for Emirates In-flight Catering, and seated in the Board of Dubai Cares and Dubai Rent Committee.

Chief Marketing Officer/Executive Vice President
Luxottica Group (Sun and Luxury Retail)

Fabio d’Angelantonio joined Luxottica as Marketing Director in 2005. In January 2009, he was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer of the Group. At the same time, he was appointed Executive Vice President of the global Sun and Luxury Retail division of Luxottica.

Fabio's responsibilities include Luxottica’s sun and luxury retail business worldwide, which consists of the Sunglass Hut and ILORI retail brands. His key challenge has been to make Sunglass Hut a global brand dedicated to sun retail with a new definition of "sunglass retail experience". Fabio contributed to the successful launch of the boutique retail brand ILORI back in 2007, demonstrating the significant retail opportunity that exists in the high-end segment of this product category.

Fabio graduated in Economics and Business at the LUISS University in Rome in 1994. In 1999 he was awarded an MBA in International Management at the UBI in Brussels. During his career, he has also worked for Olivetti, Editions Hemma (part of the Havas-Vivendi group) Ciaoweb (a FIAT-IFIL group company), and Merloni Elettrodomestici.

Luxottica Group is a leader in premium fashion, luxury and sports eyewear, with over 6,200 optical and sun retail stores in North America, Asia-Pacific, China, South Africa and Europe. In 2009, Luxottica Group posted consolidated net sales of €5.1 billion. 

Business Relations & External Affairs Director, WDF & Aldeasa

Sarah Branquinho is an active campaigner on duty-free and travel retail industry issues.  She succeeded in gaining industry support for the first Tax Free World Exhibition, and worked as the Association’s Commercial Director until 1996.    The start of the duty-and tax-free industry’s campaign to fight the abolition of intra-EU duty- and tax-free sales signalled her appointment as secretary general of the European Travel Research Foundation, managing the ambitious research projects which underpinned the lobby, and also co-ordinating the ‘Save Duty-Free’ consumer mobilisation programme throughout the EU.  In 1998 she joined BAA and its retail company World Duty Free, responsible for business relations and external affairs, extending her remit to sister company Aldeasa following Autogrill’s acquisition of WDF in 2008.  She is chairman of the UK Travel Retail Foundation and a member of the Supervisory and Managing Boards of ETRC.

General Manager – Asia Travel Retail & Franchise, Burberry Singapore

Yvonne is currently Burberry’s General Manager of Asia Travel Retail & Franchise. She manages the duty-free and franchise business that spans across nine Asian countries. Prior to this position, Yvonne was General Manager for Taiwan Retail Operations for 15 months until 2008.

Her key task when she joined Burberry’s travel retail department was to develop the duty-free business in the region and expand distribution channels in new markets, including Japan and fast-growing China.

Yvonne started working with the luxury brand in 2000 as Wholesale Manager. She played a vital role in establishing new branding strategies in Singapore and Malaysia and set up a new wholesale business model which led to the expansion of the brand through the appointment of several franchisees in other countries in the region.

As well as holding the position of General Manager of Operations for Southeast Asia she was also the Regional Sales Manager responsible for handling sales and management of retail stores in Singapore and wholesale business in the region for Burberry. She was instrumental in spearheading new market growth including the appointment of new trade partners throughout Southeast Asia.

Prior to joining Burberry, Yvonne was with world leading lingerie brand Triumph International for six years initially as Retail Executive and then as Senior Product Executive.

Director, Dolby & Holder Consulting

Nigel Dolby provides a unique and innovative approach to maximising Commercial Revenues within the Airport Industry and has a proven track record of increasing revenues and profitability for Airports, Airlines, Brand Owners, Retailers and Restaurateurs across the world.

Since forming his Company in 2004 Nigel has conducted commercial and research projects at 36 global airports, including some of the world’s largest and most prestigious airports.
Nigel’s services have also been commissioned by a number of Airlines, Retailers, Duty Free Company’s, Restaurateurs and Brand owners – all with the implicit objective of increasing their commercial profitability and performance.   

Nigel’s projects and research have now established him as one of the leading figures in relation to commercial optimisation and with data from in excess of 1.5 million airport customers he is widely recognised as having the most extensive research and data bank in the industry.
Nigel is also sought after to provide insight, research and analysis for industry organisations such as ACI, IATA, The UK Civil Aviation Authority, The Moodie Report and Duty Free News International.  
He is a regular columnist for The Moodie Report and guest speaker at several industry conferences.

Executive Chairman of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). 

He established the Centre in 1990; today it produces the leading range of executive analysis, newsletters and information reports, covering the global aviation industry.

He is also Chairman of CAPA AeroPark, an affiliate of CAPA and of CAPA India, the company’s consulting arm for the sub-continent. CAPA AeroPark is to be a major, comprehensive aviation training campus, supporting the region’s needs, and based in India.

Peter is an aviation consultant and commentator on industry issues. His career in aviation comprises more than 40 years, in government and in industry, including two years with the Australian mission to the International Civil Aviation Organisation and 10 years at a senior level in the International Air Transport Association, IATA.

Over the past 20 years, he has conducted more than 200 consultancy projects either as project manager or senior advisor, from the Middle East, India, China and most parts of Asia to the South Pacific. He has authored and/or edited numerous reports on the aviation industry, including, most recently a comprehensive 300-page report on the global low cost airline industry. A new CAPA report on Aviation Training is currently in production.

Peter was until recently President of the Australian Aviation Council, was formerly Chairman of IATA’s World Aviation Regulation Monitoring Group, President of the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand and a former IATA Travel Agency Commissioner. He is a board member of the Foundation on Antivirals (FAV).

He holds LLB (Melbourne), LLB (London), LLM (McGill).

Senior Consultant, GDR Creative Intelligence

A Mandarin and French graduate, Amy worked in fine art and design management then PR and brand strategy for the fashion, luxury and travel industries before joining the GDR consultancy team in 2007.
Amy is GDR’s lead Consultant for SE Asia. A natural communicator and an inspiring speaker with a passion for great design and innovation, she regularly delivers highly acclaimed presentations all over the world.
Amy’s roster of clients spans sectors as diverse as telecoms, consumer electronics, fashion, FMCG, luxury, commercial property operators/developers and supermarkets.
GDR stands for Global Design Resources. They are a trend analyst and
forecasting consultancy, retained by some of the biggest global consumer brands.

GDR provides essential insight into worldwide innovation across retail and
hospitality set within the context of consumer trends, delivered through quarterly
Global Innovation Reports and seminars.

Through tailored research and ideation workshops they also help their members apply emerging trends, and develop future products, communication strategies and services.
GDR is retained by brands including Virgin, Sony, L’Oreal, LVMH, Marks & Spencer, P&G, Starwood Hotels, City’super, The GAP, McDonalds, Nokia, Orange and Unilever.

Architect and Design Principal for Woodhead

David is based in Sydney Australia, and a practicing architect for 20 years.
David's design focus is in the provision of enjoyable and successful public built form.  He is enthused by the interaction of education, design philosophies and practical constraints employing collaborative communication to balance complex design solutions. 
David’s sketches and observations have also been acquired by the NSW State Library Architecture Foundation programme.
Projects include the new Woolworths Support Office at Norwest in Sydney, Singapore’s Changi Terminal 3 new terminal and Terminal 1 remodelling, Sydney Airport’s Terminal 2 and Terminal 1 re-developments, Chek Lap Kok International Airport Hong Kong - East Hall Retail, Delhi International Airport India.

• Bachelor of Architecture (Hons 1), University of Technology Sydney 1990
• Aviation Planning and Design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1994
• Master of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney 1997
• Board of Architects of NSW 2003 Registered Architect Travelling Scholarship
• 9th Commonwealth Study Conference Member, Australia 2003

President, Tax Free World Association

Erik has served the global duty free and travel retail industry with distinction for many years. >From 1987 to 1991 he was Vice President at Danish Distillers Ltd in charge of the export and duty free division. In 1991 followed the promotion to Senior Vice President and Export Director and in 1996 International Director.

Following the acquisition in December 1999 of Danish Distillers by V&S Group in Stockholm, he transferred to the newly created Stockholm based V&S International Brands as Senior Vice President and Commercial Director. In 2003 he was promoted to President of V&S ABSOLUT Global Duty Free taking over the responsibility for the entire V&S portfolio including Absolut Vodka in the global duty free market. In the same period Erik also served as Managing Director of V&S Deutschland, the German domestic market subsidiary of V&S Group. In 2005 Erik transferred to Maxxium taking over as President of Maxxium Global Travel Retail.

Erik Juul-Mortensen is also a founding member of TFWA and has been a member of the Management Committee of Tax Free World Association since its inception and was Vice President from 1986 to 1997. The election to President followed in September 1999.

Deputy CEO, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)

John Koldowski and is regarded as one of the industry’s leading analysts. He and his team are responsible for the capture, analysis and interpretation of any and all information concerning shifts, movements and/or trends in the travel and tourism industry, particularly those affecting the Asia Pacific region. This includes monitoring statistics on travel movements, tracking policy and legal developments, identifying changes in consumer preferences and even destination developments with respect to branding and positioning.
 
Koldowski joined PATA in Singapore in May 1997, and then moved to Bangkok when the association relocated its headquarters in September 1998.  He brought with him years of experience that cover a wide variety of fields; in his earlier career, Koldowski was involved in the pharmaceuticals, transport and then telecommunications industries until he took on a five-year assignment in 1988 with Tourism Tasmania.  He followed that role with the position of manager, strategic research at the Northern Territory Tourist Commission.

Koldowski is a graduate of the Flinders University of South Australia and the University of Central Queensland.

Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice President
Patrón Spirits International A.G.

John McDonnell has spent his career launching and marketing successful global spirits brands, first with Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, where he spent 18 years overseeing international sales and marketing efforts. He joined Patrón and was appointed to his current position in January, 2005. In this role, he monitors and manages the company’s day‐to‐day activities, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.

John has helped the company grow from 340,000 cases to 1.74 million cases in 2009. He oversaw its international expansion into over 100 countries and islands worldwide. Recently he helped close the acquisition of an ultra‐premium vodka, Ultimat.

In addition to his executive functions, John maintains a highly visible presence as a company spokesman, working proactively to further enhance its stature in the industry. He delivers a steady message of quality and leadership via business editorials in trade publications, in interviews with media channels, and through in‐person presentations to distributor and retailer organizations.

CEO & Chairman, Aelia

He joined Lagardère Services (formerly Hachette Distribution Services) in 1989 as financial controller.  After holding different positions within the group both across Europe and in North America, Jean-Baptiste was promoted to Chairman and CEO of Aelia in 2007.

From 2004 to 2007 Jean-Baptiste was President and CEO of HDS Retail North America, a retail network of 300 outlets covering the USA and Canada. Between 2000 and 2004 he was Chairman and CEO of Lapker in Budapest.

From 1997 to 2000 Jean-Baptiste was based at Lagardère Services Paris headquarters as Director in charge of Germany, Canada and Central Europe; from 1994 to 2000 he was Managing Director, DMS in Vienna, Austria

Jean-Baptiste is married and has three small sons.

General Manager Commercial, Mumbai International Airport

Belinda Ohanoglu joined Mumbai International Airport Ltd in late 2009 after a rich, international experience in brand management, retail and airport management.

Belinda started her career in 1997 with McGregor Fashion Group as Marketing & Communications Manager, responsible for repositioning brands, launching concept stores and managing the group’s retail activity in France and Belgium. Joining NIKE France as Retail Manager in 2002, she was in charge of operations and performance at a number of retail outlets including NIKE’s flagship Champs Elysées store.

In 2004, Belinda was appointed Retail Development Manager at Aéroports de Paris where she drove ADP’s retail development and successfully coordinated the planning and design of the new S3 satellite at Paris Charles De Gaulles Airport, which opened in mid 2007.

Moving to ADP Management/Airport International Group (AIG) in May 2007 as Marketing & Commercial Director, Belinda coordinated all marketing and commercial aspects at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, following the 25 year BOT contract awarded to AIG.

In January 2009 she became Strategic Advisor to the CEO of Royal Jordanian Airlines, providing support for the airline’s airport strategy and ancillary revenues policy, as well as on CRM.

Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia X

In July 2007, Azran was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia X, a new airline based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, focused on providing long-haul low-cost services. AirAsia X is an associate of AirAsia Berhad, the leading short-haul low-lost carrier in Southeast Asia, carrying 18 million passengers annually across a network of over 80 routes. Prior to his appointment, Azran was formerly the Senior Director of Business Development of Astro All Asia Networks plc, a leading Asian digital satellite television and radio broadcaster, where he led the start-up and operational launch of Astro’s international investments and joint ventures across Southeast Asia, India and Greater China, having oversight management responsibility for a portfolio of over US$300 million invested in these businesses.

Azran was formerly an Associate Partner of McKinsey & Company, an international management consultancy, where he co-led its Asia Pacific Corporate Finance & Strategy practice. He holds a Masters degree in Management Science and a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, both from Stanford University. He is a competitive Ultimate Frisbee player.

shaunsmith+co

Shaun has been a catalyst in expanding management focus from the tactical issues of customer service to the wider strategic issue of customer experience. He has developed some of the latest thinking around this subject, helping organisations world-wide create a compelling customer experience that achieves brand differentiation and customer loyalty.

He is co-author of three acclaimed business books. His first book ‘Uncommon Practice’ examines those companies that create exceptional customer experiences.  His second book ‘Managing the Customer Experience’, reveals how leaders can build this kind of competitive advantage for their own organisations. Shaun’s latest book ‘See, Feel, Think, Do – the power of instinct in business’ explores how highly successful business leaders and entrepreneurs use the power of instinct to achieve results. Shaun’s new book “Bold brands-how to be brave in business and win” co-authored with Andy Milligan will be published by FT Prentice Hall in late 2010.

Rated as one the top business speakers Shaun doesn’t talk about paradigms, complex methodologies or magic bullets; instead his approach is refreshingly straightforward, always pragmatic and at times, controversial. 

Secretary General, ETRC

Keith Spinks became Secretary General of the European Travel Retail Council when it was established in July 2004, having been Director General of its predecessor, the International Travel Retail Confederation, since 2000. Prior to this Spinks held a number of senior positions with a major international tobacco company, including 12 years as Public Affairs Director for its international duty free division. During this period he was closely associated with the industry’s campaigns to preserve intra-EU duty free sales in 1992 and 1999. Spinks brings a wealth of experience in representing the duty free industry in political circles, both within Europe and internationally.

EVP Corporate, Changi Airport Group

Mr Tan oversees CAG’s corporate functions including corporate strategy, communications, HR, IT, legal, international relations and economic affairs since 1 July 2009.  He is a board director of CAG’s international arm, Changi Airports International.

Mr Tan was the Deputy DG of CAA Singapore before July 2009. In CAAS, he held management roles in ATS, IT, air cargo, airworthiness & flight operations, engineering, airport management, commercial and development. He oversaw the opening of Changi’s Budget Terminal in 2006 and Terminal 3 in 2008. When Changi Airport was corporatised in July 2009, he joined the CAG.

He was a member of the ICAO Facilitation Panel, LAGs Study Group and Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection, and is currently on ACI’s Facilitation and Services Committee.

Mr Tan holds an engineering degree from the Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile and a MSc in management from Stanford.

Managing Consultant, Strategic Energy

Carly Wieland established Strategic Energy in December 2009 after 11 years experience in the aviation industry. Carly’s key areas of expertise are in branding, market research, commercial aviation development, passenger forecasting and strategic marketing for aviation businesses.

From 2002 to December 2009, Carly held the position of General Manager Business Development & Marketing at Queensland Airports Limited (owners and operators of Gold Coast Airport, Townsville Airport and Mount Isa) where she was tasked to deliver:
• aeronautical revenue;
• attracting new airline services to all three airports;
• setting the overall marketing strategy for each airport to sustain existing flights through airline relationships;
• market research strategy;
• cooperative marketing campaigns with tourism partners and airlines; and
• brand management and leveraging the airports’ sponsorship activities.

During this time, Carly was responsible for attracting Air Asia X to Gold Coast Airport, which was their launch destination in 2007 as well as new Asian services from Jetstar.

As Managing Consultant of Strategic Energy, Carly has a passion to look for innovative ways to build close relationships between airlines and airports and to build revenue.

Carly’s previous roles included commercial aviation development at Tourism Queensland (a statutory authority of the Queensland Government).  She has a Bachelor of Business – Marketing from the Queensland University of Technology.

Economic Advisor, Mastercard Worldwide

Yuwa Hedrick-Wong is a business strategist and economist with 25 years of experience gained in over thirty countries.  He is a Canadian who grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, and spent the last 20 years working in Europe, Sub-Sahara Africa, and Asia/ Pacific.  He has served as strategy advisor to over thirty leading multinational companies in the Asia/Pacific region.

As the economic advisor to MasterCard Worldwide in Asia/Pacific since 2001, Yuwa has been responsible for monitoring and forecasting economic growth and emerging business development trends in the region.  In this capacity, he has devised market entry strategies, dissected and addressed public policy challenges, analyzed business impacts of demographic and lifestyle changes, and assessed market-specific business development potential and constraints.  He chairs a MasterIntelligence knowledge panel of leading economists, policy analysts, academics and business strategists. In 2007 he was appointed Advisor at Southern Capital Group; and in 2008 he was appointed adjunct professor at the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. In 2009 he was appointed to the Investment Council of ICICI, India’s largest private bank.  
 
Yuwa is a frequent speaker at numerous international high-profile conferences. Recent presentations include the Morgan Stanley Investment Forum, McKinsey & Co’s Kitzbeuhel Forum, the BusinessWeek CEO Forum, the Asia Business Conference at Harvard University, the China Economic Summit; and the Annual Asia Leadership Forum. He has also spoken at, among others, The Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House, London; the World Finance Forum; the World Knowledge Forum; the Trinity Forum in London; the ASEAN Business & Investment Summit; The Economist Strategic Forecast Forums; Pacific Basin Economic Council of APEC; and the Forbes Global CEO Conference.  Yuwa is a frequent commentator in the broadcast media on current economic, policy and business issues in Asia/Pacific, and is a published author in consumer market dynamics, economic development, trade, and international relations.  He was voted “Communicator of the Year” in Asia in 2006 by the Association of Public Relations Professionals.  He wrote a regular column in Forbes Asia called “Asian Angles” in 2005 and 2006.  He was adjunct professor at the School of Management, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; from 2005 to 2008; and guest lecturer at the Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago.   

As a student of philosophy, political science, and economics, Yuwa studied at Trent University and pursued post-graduate training at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University in Canada, where he received his Ph.D. He also received training, at the post-doctoral level, in health economics, energy and environmental economics, and scenario forecast and planning.