European BizAv Convention Opens May 20

Frank Brenner, director general for Eurocontrol; André Kudelski, vice chairman of Geneva International Airport and chairman and CEO of the Kudelski Group; and Roland Werner, state secretary of transport, Saxon State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labor and Transport, will be the Opening General Session speakers at this year’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2014) in Geneva, Switzerland from May 20 to 22.

Brenner, who has worked in air traffic control for his entire career, joined Eurocontrol as deputy director general in 2012 and was named director general in January 2013. Prior to that, he was general manager for operations at FABEC, the organization that oversees air traffic in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. He has also served as vice chairman of Eurocontrol’s Performance Review Commission and as a member of the Performance Review Body. Much of Brenner’s career was spent working for Germany’s air navigation service provider, DFS, and in the organization that preceded it, BFS.

Kudelski began his career in 1984 as a research and development engineer with Kudelski SA. In 1986, after working for several months with a firm in Silicon Valley, he returned to work in the family business, first as pay TV product manager and then as director of Nagravision SA, a company in charge of the pay TV sector. Kudelski then took over from his father Stefan Kudelski and was named chairman and CEO of the parent company Kudelski SA in 1991. In addition, he serves as vice chairman of Geneva International Airport and on the board of several other companies and organizations.

Werner has served in his current position since 2009. Prior to that, he was executive director of the FDP group in the Saxonian Parliament from 2006 through 2009. From 2000 to 2005, Werner was the personal advisor and spokesman to the chairman of the FDP parliamentary group in the Deutscher Bundestag, Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt. From 1997 to 2000, he served as the personal advisor to member of Parliament Dr. Guido Westerwelle.

“We are delighted to have these aviation leaders as speakers at the Opening General Session of EBACE,” said National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We’re looking forward to hearing their informative and insightful perspectives on aviation in Europe, and we anticipate a strong opening to a successful event.”

European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) CEO Fabio Gamba (pictured) agreed, adding: “EBACE is widely recognized not just as a premier marketplace, but as a venue for substantive discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing business aviation in Europe. Having these highly regarded authorities at the event’s Opening General Session will be highly valuable in fostering that discussion.”

Jointly sponsored by NBAA and EBAA, EBACE2014 will take place at Geneva’s Palexpo convention center and adjacent Geneva International Airport. With more than 12,000 attendees and nearly 400 exhibitors, it is the must-attend annual meeting place for the European business aviation community.

FMI: http://ebace.aero/2014/