Presenter Bios

David Radford, Training Consultant, GLOBAL FLIGHT management

David has extensive experience in customer acquisition, retention and development which has included being directly involved in the development, implementation and review of loyalty programmes in the airline, retail, telecoms and B2B sectors. Following a career in the airline and direct marketing agency businesses, he was a Director of Air Miles in the UK for four years before becoming a customer loyalty consultant and trainer in 1996. Since then, he’s also been conducting regular loyalty training courses on behalf of IATA. He is now in charge of the training segment at GLOBAL FLIGHT management.

David Reeve, GM Airline Commercial & Operations Segment Services, Qantas

David was born and educated in the United Kingdom and has over twenty years of experience in the IT industry heavily focused in the Travel & Transportation sector, having consulted and worked for major airlines throughout the world. David joined Qantas in 2003 where his current role is Segment Services Executive. In this position, David is responsible for the relationships between the IT organisation and the core and subsidiary airlines of the Qantas Group. This position encompasses the understanding of business strategy and its alignment to IT, the definition of IT initiatives and the management of daily operational issues. David is part of the management team of IT Business Services and has taken a leading role in defining and implementing a new cultural and organisational model at Qantas.

Dominic Purvis, General Manager, Cathay Pacific Loyalty Programmes

With 15 years of airline experience in marketing and general management, Dominic Purvis has covered a lot of territory. As General Manager Cathay Pacific Loyalty Programmes (CPLP), Dominic manages the airline’s customer information strategy and is responsible for loyalty marketing initiatives, partnership development and database marketing, as well as day-to-day management of The Marco Polo Club and Asia Miles.

Girish Shah, Head of Marketing, Kingfisher Airlines

At 35 , Girish Shah, Head – Marketing with Kingfisher Airlines has much to be satisfied with. His experience of 12 years from 1992 to-date has been with leading multi-nationals Reckitts, Johnson & Johnson and Scottish & Newcastle, Europe’s largest brewer JV with UB and now being elevated within the group to Head Marketing of Kingfisher Airlines. Girish has been featured on CNBC, and provides frequent commentary for various publications on marketing issues. Girish has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Mithibai, Mumbai with a postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from St. Xavier’s college and a Master’s Degree in Management from Mumbai University (1992), specializing in Marketing.

Herbert Verschuren, Director, Flying Blue, KLM

Herbert Verschuren is born in 1966 and he has followed his education at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands. He finished with a masters degree in business economics. After a short period in the Royal Navy in Den Helder, he started with KLM in 1992. His first positions were in business logistical engineering, sales and general management in special cargo. In 1999 he switched to the Passenger business of KLM, where he started in a strategic project to improve operational efficiency across all Capacity and Service Providers. In 2001, he joined the Marketing and Brand department, in several functions in which he a.o. introduced new products and was responsible for the marketing partner portfolio of KLM. Since recently (2005), he is appointed Director Flying Blue and in that function responsible for the new frequent flyer program of KLM and Air France.

Iain Webster, Senior Manager Loyalty, Qatar Airways

Iain Webster is a highly experienced loyalty marketing manager, with a 25 year background in the global travel industry and online transactional technologies. Most recently, Iain has joined Qatar Airways as Senior Manager, Loyalty, with a remit to reposition the Privilege Club as a world class FFP, befitting the world’s fastest growing airline.  For 2 years prior to that, Iain was with Points.com, as VP for Europe/Middle East/Africa, spearheading the company’s expansion in the region. During his tenure he counted Lufthansa, SAS and British Airways among the clients with whom he developed loyalty solutions.

Back in 1991 he was responsible for the development and launch of Europe’s first airline frequent flyer programme, using 'Air Miles ' rewards for the  British Airways Executive Club. Iain also led the cross-airline FFP working group that created the oneworld Alliance customer loyalty proposition.

Iain has also undertaken brief stints of consultancy for various airlines, including Qantas, Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific, as well as contributing to projects for several international hotel groups. He has also previously worked for British Telecom as Head of Transactional Services for Prestel Travel, and on secondment to Galileo in the early days of the GDS start-up.

Kari Heinonen, Director Customer Relationship Marketing, Finnair

Kari began his career at Finnair in 1979 and he has had a variety of different responsibilities in the Finnish airline, including eight years of field sales in Germany. Having returned back to Finland in 1989, Kari worked seven years in International Relations negotiating commercial bilateral agreements with partner airlines. Along with Finnair's oneworld implementation project in 1999 Kari's career continued as the Project Director before he returned back to sales as a Sales Manager Europe and Asia. Since 5 years Kari has now been heading Finnair's loyalty program Finnair Plus in which position he has among other activities led through the Siebel CRM development and implementation projects.

Kyrl Acton, ex-Senior LAN, Aer Lingus and Unisys Executive

Mr Acton is a seasoned aviation executive, with a successful 25-year record of accomplishment, working with some of the most prominent airlines in the developing world. Kyrl, an Irish national, started his airline career with Aer Lingus where he rose to become the Chief Executive: Passenger Service, responsible for all commercial, operational and support functions. Here he pioneered a winning customer-focus programme, which resulted in increased revenue flows, and to the favourable positioning of the airline in a very competitive and rapidly deregulating market.

This included developing an operational culture, which improved business performance. He was recognised for setting excellent standards of customer service and for successfully revamping the marketing and sales initiatives of the airline to overseas markets. This resulted in improved cost effectiveness and financial performance. He was also instrumental in dramatically improving the punctuality of Aer Lingus.

Following this success, Kyrl joined Lan Chile in 1995 as Senior Vice President: Planning and Development, where he contributed to turning the airline into a world class and highly-financially successful operation. This included the negotiation of Lan Chile’s entry into a successful global alliance with Oneworld. Kyrl also had a leading role in the successful Lan Chile Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 1997.

In 2002, he moved to Unisys, as Vice President Transportation: Europe/Middle East/Africa where he focused on Information Technology within the aviation industry. In today’s world, especially within the aviation industry, the effective use of information technology enables the implementation of business goals, high customer service standards and cost effectiveness.

Mohammed Mubarak Al Shikely, Senior Manager Marketing, Oman Air

Mohammed Mubarak Al Shikely has over 24 years experience in the airline industry. Most of his schooling and higher education has been in the United Kingdom with an MBA to his credit from Knightsbridge University.  Mohammed commenced his airline career from the post of a Passenger Service Agent with Gulf Air, progressing at a phenomenal rate, scaling new heights at various levels in the airline industry between 1980 to 1998, with positions such as Airport Manager in Colombo, Kuwait & Dar-es-Salaam, District Sales Manager in Tanzania & Abu Dhabi, Area Manager Abu Dhabi & Al Ain and all the way to General Manager-Africa Region.

During his tenure with Gulf Air, he has time and again proved his ability to capture new markets through unique and creative marketing concepts with an eye for seeing the ‘Big Picture’.  With an in-depth understanding of various markets, the set goals were easily achieved and on most occasions surpassed.  He has left Gulf Air with a legacy that will be difficult to equal.

Mohammed then decided that it was time to settle down in his homeland and upon his return to Oman, was aptly chosen as Senior Manager Marketing for Oman Air, a position that would require all the experience and skills that he had gathered over the years.  In his current position, he overlooks all marketing responsibilities of the airline such as Revenue Optimization (CRC & Pricing), Marketing Communications (Advertising & Promotions), Industry Affairs, Loyalty Programmes and Oman Air Holidays.  Under his management, all sections of the airline’s marketing department have rapidly progressed and he is on the threshold of launching the first ever Frequent Flyer Programme of Oman Air.

Mukund Srinivasan, Finance Manager Skywards, Emirates

Mukund is Finance Manager Skywards at Emirates, where he manages all financial and Data Integrity aspects of the program. He has been instrumental in planning, developing and implementing financial, commercial and operating processes for Skywards since inception in 2000. He has worked with Emirates since 1992, having worked in Internal Audit, Systems Audit and Financial Management.

Noreliza Omar, Loyalty Marketing Manager, Royal Brunei Airlines

Noreliza was involved in implementing the Royal Skies frequent flyer programme in 2003 and has since managed the programme. She manages the overall programme including Marketing, Customer Service and Partnership development. Before taking up the FFP project, she managed the e-commerce section for over 2 years. Noreliza worked with Standard Chartered Bank for over 3 years and after graduating with a Master’s degree in International Business and Management in the U.K., decided to change direction and move into the airline industry.

Peter Baumgartner, Head of Marketing, Etihad Airways

In Peter’s current capacity of Head of Marketing at Etihad Airways he oversees the airline’s  Customer Relationship Management (CRM), E-Commerce, Call Centre and BTL Marketing departments.  Peter has extensive prior experience with pricing and revenue analysis as well as airport and airline customer relationship management. He formerly held related positions with Swissair/Sabena as well as Swiss International Airlines.

Ravindra Bhagwanani, General Manager, GLOBAL FLIGHT

Ravindra is General Manager of Frankfurt-based Global Flight Management.  Since founding the company in 1996, Ravindra has focused on Frequent Flyer Programmes and customer loyalty. 

He has positioned the Global Flight to assist airlines and their customers alike by offering both management-related services to airlines in the FFP/CRM field and unique Frequent Flyer services to travellers. Ravindra is one of the leading experts today in airline frequent flyer programs. He is often consulted by the world's 'best practise' airline FFPs and is widely quoted in the media. 

Ravindra co-produces the acclaimed FFP conference along with Airline Information. Ravindra’s encylopedic knowledge of frequent flyer program operations and developments has made him an invaluable element of the original FFP production team. Global Flight’s frequent flyer program information system designed and managed by Ravindra is geared toward high-frequency travelers and will soon join the AI Worldwide Intelligence platform.  

Roger Collis, Columnist, International Herald Tribune

Roger is an award-winning journalist, writer and broadcaster who has gained world-wide recognition as a business travel guru through his acclaimed columns in the International Herald Tribune, ‘The Frequent Traveler’ and ‘Ask Roger Collis,’ each Friday. The second edition of his bestselling book, ‘The Survivor’s Guide to Business Travel,’ published in 2002, was described by The Times newspaper as ‘the best source of independent travel advice on the market.’ Roger was a star copywriter with Colman, Prentis & Varley – then the largest British international advertising agency.

He later became European marketing director and managing director of the Europe headquarters in Lausanne of the U.S. multinational Miles Laboratories, later serving as group vice president, responsible for marketing and new business development, with Cederroth, a Swedish-owned healthcare group based in Geneva. His last corporate job was marketing and sales director for Merck, Sharp & Dohme, the British subsidiary of Merck Inc. He subsequently spent a year as associate editor with International Management magazine, published by McGraw-Hill, before becoming a full-time writer and occasional consultant. He is in frequent demand as a conference and round-table speaker, broadcaster and film narrator.

Roger Williams, Managing Partner, Consulting, Airline Information

During his 10-year career in the airline industry Roger firmly established himself as an expert in relationship marketing and alliance development. As one of the youngest system managers in the industry at Air Jamaica and later as Chairman of the 120-airline member Interline Sales & Marketing Conference, Roger generated millions in incremental revenue. He continues the traditions by consulting to various airlines around the world for Airline Information.

Roger has gained a reputation for being able to make sense of complex relationships. He commands a uniquely powerful consulting portfolio for Airline Information covering projects ranging from co-branding airlines with music talent from the world's 2nd largest record label, to shedding airline FFP mileage liabilities and creating incremental revenue for zero startup costs.

Roger holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in International Relations and Intelligence from Florida International University and the University of Salford in the United Kingdom. He was born in Kingston Jamaica and currently resides in Miami Florida.

Saravanee Khuprasert, Royal Orchid Plus Manager, Thai Airways

Saravanee is Manager of Royal Orchid Plus, Thai Airways International Frequent Flyer programme. 
She has been doing extensive Loyalty Marketing  for THAI  and the Star Alliance these past years.  
Before coming into marketing,  Saravanee was in commercial relations and public relations at THAI and at Hilton International Hotel.

Victor H. Llana, Manager OnePass Programs, Continental Airlines

Victor Llana is Manager, OnePass Programs – Loyalty Marketing for Continental Airlines Inc., a position he has held since May 2002.  In this role he manages a team and agency responsible for rewards, recognition, credential fulfillment, policies and procedures, training, competitive analysis and website loyalty initiatives for the Continental Airlines OnePass frequent flyer program. Prior to this position, Llana was Senior Analyst, Loyalty Marketing from October 2001 to May 2002. He joined Continental in October 2000 as Senior Analyst, Distribution Planning.

Before joining Continental, Llana was with Shell Oil Company from 1998 to 2000 in marketing and account management roles in the company’s energy and chemicals businesses. Llana received a bachelor's degree in biomedical science and master's degree in business administration from the Texas A&M University. He lives in Houston with his wife and child (and are expecting their second child in November).