An expanded speaker programme has been revealed by Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) and Passenger Experience Conference (PEC). The annual PEC, taking place on 5 June ahead of AIX, will return with a speaker line-up featuring representatives from Air Canada, Avensis Aviation, Airbus, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Expliseat, Green Cabin Alliance, Tapis, Airline Passenger Experience Association, and many more.
The plenary session will explore the multi-modal future and how the aviation industry can meet the needs of the future passenger with insights from Eric Bogner, executive creative director at Teague; Kerry Reeves, head of airline programmes at Air New Zealand; and more.
Following a short break, where attendees can network with experts from airlines, airframers, OEMs, suppliers and designers, PEC will split into two streams: delivering for the new-generation passenger; and succeeding in the green revolution.
Joining the former stream will be a diverse group of experts, including Raymond Kollau, senior trend analyst at TrendWatching; Rick Salanitri, president of Delta Flight Products; and Peter Azzouni, head of interiors and design – guest experience at Riyadh Air. Together they will share their thoughts on defining new passenger experience benchmarks with perspectives on consumer trends, new travel ecosystems and inclusive travel.
Also, within this stream, an interactive roundtable will explore how technology and IFEC can help airlines meet the expectations of the new-generation digital customer. Among the confirmed speakers will be Ben Murphy, vice president of airline accounts, Americas, at Intelsat; Chris Demange, senior director, media and partnerships at Viasat; and Norman Haughton, director, inflight digital entertainment, wi-fi, media, sales and analytics at Air Canada.
The second dedicated stream will focus on reinventing the passenger experience with ‘reuse, repurpose and recycle’ in mind. It will feature the input of experts including Cristian Sutter, CEO of Avensis Aviation; Anaïs Marzo da Costa, head of aircraft interiors marketing at Airbus; Brenna Wynhof, regional director, cabin marketing, at Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Amaury Barberot, CEO of Expliseat; and many more.
The sustainability stream will continue providing insights into the evening, with a session on designing cabins that are better for people and the planet, moderated by Elina Kopola, trend and CMF specialist at TrendWorks, and founder of Green Cabin Alliance. The session will explore new thinking around how sustainable materials and finishes, within the context of meeting the demands of the cabin interior sector, can provide a robust approach to recyclability and circularity.
Other experts to contribute their insights include Matthew Nicholls, sales director at Tapis; Christian Seifert, product manager at Lufthansa Technik; and Kristen Allison, global director, business development at LanzaTech, each holding a magnifying glass up to the use of sustainable fabrics.
“Each year, we strive to deliver on our promise to provide an esteemed, world-class list of speakers and panellists from the leading aviation and interiors providers – and this year we will not disappoint,” said Polly Magraw, event director, Aircraft Interiors Expo. “With the expanded programme now officially revealed, we are pleased to share such an illustrious line-up of experts to discuss their perspectives on the most prominent issues facing the industry and bring one of the most insightful, impactful programme schedules to date.”
This year’s Passenger Experience Conference will take place at the Congress Center Hamburg (CCH) on 5 June, the day before Aircraft Interiors Expo, which runs on 6-8 June 2023. Registration is now open for both events, and the co-located World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo.
