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• Fireside Chat: Edward Sims, President and Chief Executive Officer, WestJet Airlines

  • When
    July 22, 2021
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Webinar, Access Information Sent Upon Registration
  • Spaces left
    453

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  Cost

  Members: No charge for current IAC members to participate in this program.

  Nonmembers: $25 (Not a member? Click here to join)

  Note: We are using the Zoom webinar platform to deliver this program. Attendees can access via the Zoom app or a browser. Access information will be sent upon registration.

  
  

  About the Speaker

  Throughout his aviation career, Ed Sims has demonstrated that an emphasis on peoples’ development and transparent communication are the stepping stones to success. As President and CEO, responsible for both the strategic direction of the company and the day-to-day operations, Ed leads WestJet’s employees with this emphasis and the professional values of accountability, resilience, authenticity, aspiration and humility.

  His confidence in the strength of these guiding principles rests in his track record.

  Ed joined WestJet in 2017 as Executive Vice-President, Commercial and became President and CEO in 2018. He led WestJet from its first quarterly loss in 52-consecutive quarters, and his first as CEO, to a position of sustained and significant profitability.

  Under his leadership, WestJet made significant strides in its evolution from a point-to-point, low-cost carrier to a global network airline, with the arrival of the first 787 Dreamliners and the introduction of business cabin and premium service. WestJet has continued to be recognized as Canada’s Favourite Airline (TripAdvisor 2017/2018/2019) and as a national standout in safety and operational efficiency being named one of North America’s top-10 most on-time airlines for 2019 (Cirium).

  In 2019, Ed led the organization through the largest private equity deal in aviation history with the purchase of WestJet by Onex.

  Ed started in the United Kingdom travel industry and has enjoyed a varied career spanning more than 30 years in tourism and aviation across the European, Australasian and North American markets. Prior to WestJet, Ed held senior commercial and operational leadership positions within the Tui, Thomas Cook and Virgin Groups and served for ten years at Air New Zealand where he led the international wide-body business. His role prior to Westjet was marked by six years of service as CEO of Airways, New Zealand’s air navigation service provider.

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• Listen & Learn: Regulations in the Air

  • When
    August 19, 2021
  •  
    2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Webinar, Access Information Sent Upon Registration
  • Spaces left
    476

  Register

  Join us for an update on the airline regulatory environment and hot issues impacting airlines that serve the United States.

  Panelists: 

  Anita Mosner, Partner, Holland and Knight, LLP

  Evelyn Sahr, Chair, Aviation, Eckert Seamans

  Patricia Vercelli, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Airlines for America

  Moderator:  

  Roy Goldberg, Partner, Stinson LLP; Immediate Past President, IAC

  
  

  Cost
  

  Members: No charge for current IAC members to participate in this program.

  Nonmembers: $25 (Not a member? Click here to join)

  Note: We are using the Zoom webinar platform to deliver this program. Attendees can access via the Zoom app or a browser. Access information will be sent upon registration.

  
  

  About the Speakers

  Anita Mosner practices in the areas of aviation law, public policy and regulation, competition and international law. She is the co-chair of Holland & Knight's Transportation and Infrastructure Industry Sector Group and is also the deputy chair of the firm's Aviation Team. With a background in consulting as well as law, Anita has a deep understanding of the aviation business that has sharpened her ability to tackle complex business disputes and operational problems. Anita regularly represents airlines, UAS (drone) operators, airports, and other aviation-related businesses.

  Anita handles all phases of the airline start up process, and has led the launch of both U.S. and foreign air carriers.  She also has represented several major international airports, assisting them with marketing, route development, environmental and development issues.

  Anita played a leading role in the development of several major airline alliances and joint ventures, assisting with the negotiation and documentation of such arrangements. She also has assisted several airlines in their efforts to obtain antitrust immunity for their alliance activities, and regularly provides antitrust compliance training and advice. Anita has provided regulatory advice and has assisted in the negotiation of several airline investment transactions, and has secured approval for several cross-border investments in U.S. air carriers. She also served on a committee of experts which advised the Department of Defense (DOD) on the possible effect of changes to rules governing non-U.S. investment in U.S. airlines upon the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program.

  Anita has extensive experience in aeropolitical matters, including international aviation negotiations and disputes. Skilled in government affairs and communications, She also helps her clients seek Congressional support for industry initiatives.

  Anita devotes considerable time to regulatory counseling and compliance. She has defended major enforcement actions before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Transportation Security Administration, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies. She also has handled matters involving the National Transportation Safety Board, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State and Department of Justice. She has strong experience in international air safety and air safety oversight, and also is a member of the firm’s Drone Practice Team.

  Anita handles both administrative and appellate litigation, and regularly offers pre-litigation counseling to her airport and airline clients.

  Evelyn Sahr, chair of Eckert Seaman’s Aviation Group, focuses her practice on regulatory, commercial and legislative regulatory matters impacting U.S. and foreign airlines. She serves on the Governing Committee of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Air & Space Law and was selected for inclusion in Chambers USA for her national work in transportation law (Aviation: Regulatory). In addition, Evelyn is a frequent speaker at domestic and international industry conferences and delivers training seminars on numerous U.S. legal compliance matters.

  Evelyn regularly represents foreign and domestic airlines before a number of federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Department of Commerce and Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). She also advises clients on foreign ownership requirements, licenses and operating authority, open skies, passenger rights , civil and criminal enforcement proceedings, slots and airport issues, and international safety assessments and standards. She also consults on tax, antitrust, environment, insolvency, intellectual property, labor/employment, equipment transactions, and other commercial matters relating to airlines.

  Before entering private practice, Evelyn was a trial and appellate attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division.

  Patricia Vercelli brings more than 20 years of experience in the airline financial services industry. to A4A. She is responsible for A4A’s legal and corporate governance, overseeing the General Counsel’s office and providing corporate secretary functions. Patricia joined A4A from Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP), the airline-owned travel payment system. UATP was formerly a division of A4A for 15 years. She managed the legal affairs of UATP, guiding them through multifaceted regulatory hurdles in the international arena relative to streamlining the payment processing of transactions between UATP airline members and corporate customers. Prior to joining UATP, Patricia worked for Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP and Sallie Mae, Inc. 

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