New Panel Discusses Issues And Shares Experiences In Key Areas

The EBAA Associate Member's Advisory Council (AMAC) held its first official Board Meeting at the recently-concluded EBACE gathering in Geneva, Switzerland. AMAC is designed to enable EBAA's Associate Members - comprising service providers offering a range of activities to include ground handling, financing and legal services - to help EBAA operators navigate the challenges associated with these activities.

“This is the very first time that our new Board has had the opportunity to come together,” says Guy Broddin, CEO FinServe and Chairman of the Associate Member Advisory Council. “The aim will be to share the different experiences of the Groups, decide on what the priorities are for the remainder of the year and see where there may be interests that bridge the activities of two or more of the Focus Groups.”

The AMAC Board is made up of Guy Broddin, in addition to the Chairpersons of its current three Focus Groups:

• Aviation Insurance, chaired by Filip Vandeputte, Chief Underwriting Officer, Aviabel
• Taxes & VAT, chaired by Bart Boury, General Counsel, Flying Group
• Finance and Leasing, chaired by Aoife O'Sullivan, Partner at Gates and Partners

“Our Tax Focus Group aims to clarify the many hurdles for VAT that apply in Europe and share with members how they can best manoeuvre in light of the various interpretations made by the different countries,” says Bart Boury.

“I think that operators see insurance as a cost. Our Group hopes to give operators a better understanding of insurance so that they see it also as an added value to their operational,” added Filip Vandeputte.

The Finance and Leasing Group will deal with the challenge of reduced financing options as it explores and identifies new means of finance. Led by Aoife O’Sullivan, it will also promote solutions at a European level that aim to reduce risks from a financier’s perspective.

"AMAC Focus Groups help us to follow up on some of the pressing issues our operators are contending with,” says EBAA President Fabio Gamba. “AMAC provides a perfect opportunity to put the invaluable expertise of our large Associate Membership to powerful use, giving this important set of Members an opportunity to actively contribute to ensuring that that needs of the business aviation operator community are met.” (Pictured (L-R) Boury, Vandeputte, Broddin)

FMI: www.ebaa.org