CAPA Airline Leader Summits Advisory Board Members

Montserrat Barriga
Director General
ERA

Montserrat Barriga has been ERA (European Regions Airline Association) Director General since November 2017. She is responsible to ERA’s board for the delivery and implementation of ERA’s strategy as well as the advocacy work of the association on policy and technical matters. Under her leadership, ERA is highlighting the regional aviation sector’s vital contribution to Europe’s future economic prosperity and social cohesion, particularly in those regions of Europe dependent on air connectivity. Prior to her appointment as ERA Director General, Montserrat worked at ERA member airline Binter as Director of International Development and Industry Affairs, focusing on the airline’s regulatory needs and international development. Before this, she headed up strategy development at Pullmantur Group, which included a cruise line, tour operators, retail travel agencies and a charter airline.

Michael Bell
Senior Client Partner
KornFerry

Michael was previously with a global recruiting firm, where he founded and led the Global Aviation, Aerospace & Defence Practice. He provides top-level executive search and leadership advisory services to a broad range of clients in the aviation aerospace, airline, and airport sectors. Over his 23 years in the profession, Michael has led over 1,000 searches for aviation and aerospace organisations around the globe, including numerous CEO and C-level mandates. Michael is also active in the Board Practice and has assisted numerous aerospace and aviation sector clients in the recruitment of outstanding board directors. Earlier in his career, Michael enjoyed seven years at McKinsey & Company with a specific focus on the firm’s Organisational Performance Practice. Prior to McKinsey, he worked at the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto, where he partnered with the dean, the faculty and the dean’s advisory council on a broad range of development areas, including strategic planning, program development, fundraising, community and alumni relations. Michael is an active contributor to the latest thinking on leadership in the aviation arena and serves as a regular speaker and moderator at industry conferences, having addressed audiences at over 100 events on five continents. In addition, he has authored several industry studies on leadership and published numerous articles in aviation and aerospace industry trade media. Michael holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto. He speaks English, French and Arabic and has worked in more than 60 countries around the globe.

Peter Cerdá
Regional VP Latin America
 & CEO ALTA

Peter Cerdá is the Regional Vice President in the Americas for IATA, the trade association whose 260 member airlines transport more than 84% of total air traffic. He leads a multinational team of professionals which proactively pursue IATA’s industry priorities with governmental authorities and industry stakeholders to make the air transport industry safer, more secure, efficient and profitable. Peter possesses a wealth of senior industry experience acquired over a long and successful career in aviation. Most recently, he served as Regional Director for Safety, Operations and Infrastructure for the Americas and Atlantic until 2013. Fluent in English and Spanish, Peter was born in Spain and received his Master’s Degree in Aeronautics and Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle University and a Bachelor of Business Administration at Florida International University.

Tamur Goudarzi Pour
EVP Strategy & Member of the Group Executive Committee
Lufthansa Group

Tamur Goudarzi Pour has been the Executive Vice President, Strategy and Group Executive Committee Member since October 2024, responsible for the overarching strategy of the Lufthansa Group, including the strategic vision and direction of all airlines and business segments, M&A, digital strategy and innovation management, corporate responsibility, organisational development, and corporate governance. Tamur Goudarzi Pour has held a variety of executive positions since joining the Lufthansa Group. Before his role as Senior Vice President Customer Experience for Lufthansa Group, he served as Chief Commercial Officer of Swiss International Air Lines. He holds a Master’s of Philosophy in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.

Dr Joe Leader
Group CEO
APEX

Dr Joe Leader serves as the Group CEO of APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association), IFSA (International Flight Services Association), and FTE (Future Travel Experience), having worked to advance the APEX Group over the past decade to become the second-largest international airline association worldwide. An accomplished executive with two decades of prior experience spanning technology and air travel, Leader holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Emory University, an MBA in technology management, and conducted PhD research on accelerating new technology adoption in aviation. Leader advances passenger experience worldwide, working closely with senior leadership from top airlines, airports, suppliers, manufacturers, and facilities.

Subhas Menon
Director General
AAPA

Subhas Menon joined the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines in March 2020. Subhas has over 35 years’ experience in international aviation with the Singapore Airlines Group, having served in a wide spectrum of roles including international & government relations, marketing, product development, logistics, country & regional management. In his various roles in the airline industry over the past three decades, he has developed a solid skill set that includes successfully building and managing relationships with different stakeholders, strong communications and public speaking skills, as well as commercial acumen honed across different regions. As Regional Vice President for an Asian airline in various regions around the world, and having also served as Chief Executive of SilkAir, Subhas is familiar with the Asian airline environment, its market dynamics and the region’s diverse political landscape. Building on his early experience in international relations, he has well-developed lobbying and negotiation skills as well as dealing with government affairs, which makes him well-placed to undertake the kind of advocacy and lobbying activities AAPA conducts as a trade association on behalf of its member airlines. He is a graduate of the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in Sociology.

Liz Ortiguera
Global Travel Leader
Former CEO of PATA

Liz Ortiguera is a business builder, industry leader, and global citizen with over 25 years of experience in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, digital start-ups, consumer card and, in the past 15 years, travel and tourism. 

After an initial career as a scientist/engineer in pharmaceuticals R&D, Liz worked with American Express for 18 years in three divisions – card, merchant and travel.  During her travel role, she led Amex's Travel Partner Network, managing an agency network spanning 28 countries in Asia-Pacific.  Her network represented Amex Corporate Travel across 15 countries.    After Amex, she worked in a series of start-ups, including a digital lifestyle network, mobile-first education technology and launched a travel social enterprise.  

She was then appointed CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in 2021 and led the deployment of both critical industry recovery initiatives and sustainable travel programs, including a Tourism Destination Resilience Program, SME Enablement program and initiatives partnering with GBTA, World Bank, WHO Foundation and Visa.  

In 2023, Liz became the first Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Senior Advisor to the CEO for the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the most influential global travel association representing the sector’s largest corporations and tourism bureaus.   

She is originally from New York and has worked in Asia for 25 years – first in Tokyo, then Singapore.   Liz is an alumnus of four universities- Stanford, Columbia, NYU and The Cooper Union. Her work has been recognised with numerous awards, including an MBA full scholarship from Merck, Amex Leadership Awards, and a TDG Humanitarian Award.   

Liz is passionate about innovation, education, sustainability, DEI, and social impact.   She believes in driving business growth and innovation while using ethical and sustainable business strategies.   

David Palmieri
CEO
@Aquila

Bio To follow

John Strickland
Director
JLS Consulting

Director John Strickland is a graduate of the University of York and has over 40 years of experience in the airline industry, specialising in network planning and revenue management. He has held senior positions with a number of airlines, including British Caledonian, British Airways, KLM UK and Buzz. His experience spans all the major airline business models.

London-based JLS Consulting was established in 2003, an air transport consultancy which provides strategic insight and advisory services for clients, including airports, airlines, and investors.

John provides expert independent business and financial commentary on the sector for leading global media, including the BBC, Sky, Bloomberg and CNN. He is a regular conference chair and moderator at industry events, frequently interviewing leading senior executives.

John is also a visiting professor in airline business strategy at Coventry University and a visiting fellow at Cranfield University.

Karen Walker
Editor in Chief
Air Transport World

Karen Walker is Air Transport World Editor-in-Chief and Aviation Week by Informa Air Transport Editor-in-Chief. She joined ATW in 2011 and oversees the editorial content and direction of ATW, Routes and Aviation Week by Informa air transport content.

Karen serves on the board of directors of the International Aviation Club of Washington and was the IAC’s President in 2017-2018.

Karen has been writing about the aerospace and air transport industries for more than 35 years and is a recognised authority and commentator on the airline industry. She is a regular speaker and moderator at aviation events worldwide and a commentator on radio and TV news programs. In 2019, she was a judge and a presenter for IATA’s inaugural diversity awards.

Based in Washington, D.C., she gained her degree in journalism in the U.K. and is a multiple winner of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s aerospace journalism awards.

She is the recipient of the Aerospace Media Awards 2021 Aerospace Writer of the Year.