AGM 2025 Speakers

Willie Walsh became the eighth person to lead the International Air Transport Association (IATA) when he took on the role of Director General in April 2021, after an airline industry career spanning over 40 years.

> See Willie Walsh's bio and photos

Adrian Neuhauser has served as CEO of Abra Group since January 2024. Mr. Neuhauser served as President and CEO of Avianca between 2021 and 2024 after joining the company as its Chief Financial Officer in 2019 and leading its corporate restructuring process. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial sector with a focus on investment banking as well as extensive experience working with transportation companies, including airlines, railroad, and trucking companies.

Prior to joining Avianca, Mr. Neuhauser was Managing Director at Credit Suisse covering airlines throughout the Americas. Previously, he held senior positions at Deutsche Bank, Bank of America as well as Merrill Lynch where he was responsible for M&A and capital markets transactions in Chile and the Andean Region. Mr. Neuhauser holds an Economics Degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile.

Ananthanarayanan is a seasoned technology executive with over two decades of experience in the IT industry, specializing in government affairs, public policy, and technology advisory roles. An alumnus of the University of Kerala and the Indian School of Business, Ananthanarayanan has a rich background in computer science and executive management. Currently serving as the Senior Vice President and Chief Industry Officer, he leads key sectors including Automotive, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Defence & Aviation, Infrastructure, Textiles, Leather and Footwear.

Prior to his tenure at Invest India, Ananthanarayanan held significant positions at Intel India as the Head of Government affairs and in Wipro, he was the Head of Technology Advisory. His achievements in these roles include policy advocacy, managing large-scale technology initiatives, and creating demand for cutting-edge solutions in government sectors. His career is marked by a consistent track record of building and managing government relationships, fostering strong relationships with stakeholders, reflecting his deep understanding of the technology landscape and government processes.

Dr Staples is the Founder and Principal of GeoPol Asia, a boutique advisory service operating at the intersection of geopolitics, business and strategy. He has extensive experience advising leaders of multinational firms and maintains a deep network of business leaders, investors, policy makers and academics.

He previously held senior editorial roles at The Economist Group including Editorial Director and Head of APAC at Economist Impact, and Global Editorial Director of The Economist Corporate Network—the Economist Intelligence Unit’s briefing and advisory service designed to help senior business leaders understand and navigate complex business environments. Andrew has a PhD in International Political Economy and an MSc in East Asian Business, both from the University of Sheffield, UK. Before joining The Economist Group, Andrew pursued an academic career holding both tenured and adjunct posts at leading universities and business schools in Japan and the UK. He has published widely and is much in demand as a seasoned public speaker, moderator and international business media commentator.

Dividing his time between Singapore and Japan, he is the Singapore CEO and Asia Management Forum chair for IMA Asia.

Ashima is a seasoned Business Conference Anchor with over 10 years of experience across multiple domains. From hosting the Honorable Vice-President of India to the Chief Justice of India, Ashima has created a name for herself in the industry.

She has been a finalist at the prestigious Femina Miss India pageant and has been the face of many media campaigns. She has over 8 years of experience working with India’s largest media conglomerate - Network18 (CNBC-TV18, CNN News18, Moneycontrol, Forbes India) where she was a part of the marketing and branded content team.

She founded a fitness and ayurveda based media platform, Vegssup and is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Wellness Coach and Power Yoga Instructor who enjoys assisting people through their fitness and transformation journeys. She is an avid fitness junkie, animal lover and a hodophile.

Christine is currently Chief Revenue Officer of Finnair Oyj, the flag carrier of Finland. Christine leads teams responsible for Finnair’s network, revenue management, sustainability and alliance relationships as well as for the management of Finnair’s aircraft assets. She has played a key role in the renewal of the Company’s strategy, fleet optimization, and capital structure.

Prior to her current role, Christine was Finnair’s SVP Strategy & Fleet, served as Group Treasurer, and held a variety of roles in both the finance and strategy functions. Prior to joining Finnair in 2012, Christine worked in investment banking in London and New York, advising airlines, aircraft lessors, shipping companies, logistics providers and industry investors on M&A and capital markets transactions.

Christine is based in Helsinki and has an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Christof Rühl is an internationally renowned economist, specializing in the intersection of macroeconomics, geopolitics, and energy. His skillset reflects senior positions in some of the world’s best-known institutions in business, policy and academia; it includes significant commercial expertise in energy and asset allocation, policy advice, and academic research.

Christof advises companies, governments, and financial institutions globally; he is adjunct Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, New York; and was Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School (2019-21).

From 2014-19, Christof served as the Global Head of Research at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, creating and managing ADIA’s first global research team across asset classes and responsible for economic, energy and geopolitical analysis. He was Group Chief Economist and Vice President of BP plc 2005 through 2014, credited with a significant contribution to the global debate on energy, climate change, and the links between energy and economic development.

Christof joined BP from the world of economic policy making at the World Bank (1998–2005), including as the Bank’s Chief Economist in Russia and in Brazil; and at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London (1996-98).

He started his career in academia, first as a Research Associate in Germany, and then as an Assistant Professor in economics at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Christof serves as a global advisor and board director to companies in energy, finance and private equity. He is well published and a sought-after commentator and keynote speaker.

Clare Sebastian is a correspondent for CNN based in the network's London bureau, covering international news.

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Dorota Dmuchowska began her history with the national carrier in 1995, performing tasks in the operational area. She was a member of the Board of Directors of LOT Crew Sp. z o.o. for eight years, then from 2021 to 2024, served as a Board of Directors for Operations member at Polish Aviation Academy Sp. z o.o., contributing to expanding infrastructure and training capacity for pilots and cabin crew working for LOT Polish Airlines.

In June 2023, she was appointed Chief Operating Officer at LOT Polish Airlines, overseeing the safety and efficiency of flight and technical operations.

My ~28 years experience has spanned energy systems thinking and problem solving with energy stakeholders, using the tools of applied economics and finance with 6 key focus areas of:

1. Energy Transitions: Technology deployment, Policy development, Financial access
2. Energy Pricing and Market Entry Strategies
3. Financial Benchmarking and Market Research
4. Corporate Benchmarking and ESG In the Energy Transitions
5. Board-level engagement to drive change and integration of sustainable fuels in the energy spectrum
6. Champion of Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion initiatives

6 key impacts that I have delivered during this time:

1. Energy Policy lead for multi-disciplinary team efforts that incentivized Multi-billion dollar energy projects
2. Lead teams that deliver on average $3mm+ consulting revenues
3. Building a system for financial benchmarking of energy companies
4. Building a system of stakeholder mapping and engagement to deliver energy policy outcomes
5. Started and built cross-functional team of energy analysts in India and Malaysia
6. Champion of Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion initiatives

Capt. George Kamal is a distinguished aviation executive with 29 years of progressive leadership spanning the Middle East and African aviation markets. Rising through the ranks from frontline operations to the C-suite, Dr. Kamal has successfully led strategic and operational transformation in more than four airlines, delivering sustainable growth, enhanced performance, and industry recognition.

As Chief Operating Officer of Kenya Airways PLC, the national carrier of the Republic of Kenya, he oversees the full operational strategy, performance systems, and regulatory integration for the airline. Under his leadership, the airline continues to align with global aviation standards while advancing safety, efficiency, and service innovation.

Capt. Kamal holds a Doctorate of Business Administration from ESC Clermont School of Business, where he focused on Navigating Aviation Industry Economical Evolution and Transformation: Integrating Sustainability, Post pandemic recovery and impact of LCC within African Continent. He also earned a Master of Science in Aviation Management – Transformation in the Digital Age from London Metropolitan University, strengthening his expertise in innovation, digitalization, and future-ready aviation systems.

Capt. Kamal was recently voted & named among the Top 10 Transformational Deputies, MDs, COOs, and VPs of the year 2025 by The Governance & Business Board. The recognition honors his ability to lead with vision, precision, and impact in challenging and complex markets.

Known for his disciplined leadership and people-first philosophy, Capt. Kamal drives cross-functional performance, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across every organization he leads. His current focus includes embedding a performance culture, modernizing core systems,Financial restructuring and strengthening regional connectivity.

Beyond his executive role, Capt. Kamal is a mentor and industry contributor, advocating for sustainable aviation, future-focused leadership, and strategic collaboration within the global aviation ecosystem.

Henry Wilkinson is the Chief Intelligence Officer of Dragonfly, a Dow Jones company and leading geopolitical risk intelligence business. Dragonfly is a strategic partner to IATA, and provides risk intelligence to many of the world's top airlines and aerospace businesses.

For over 19 years, Henry has been at the forefront of the geopolitics and security intelligence industry, advising commercial and governmental clients as is independently recognised as a leading global expert in political risk.

Henry leads Dragonfly’s team of analysts and advisors, serves as editor-in-chief of its global analytical work, and sets Dragonfly’s overall business strategy. He is a specialist in geostrategic risks, international relations, political violence, and assessment methodologies.

Prior to co-founding Dragonfly, he was Head of Intelligence & Analysis at The Risk Advisory Group. In 2025, Dragonfly was acquired by Dow Jones and is part of its Risk and Compliance division.

Henry is frequently cited as an expert by major media outlets including the New York Times, the Financial Times, BBC, CNN, and Bloomberg. He has provided expert testimony to UK parliamentary committees and published works on geopolitical and security issues by the OECD and Lloyd’s of London. He holds a first-class honours degree in War Studies from King’s College London.

Indrani was Associate Editor with the Times of India, where she reported and analysed foreign policy issues for the newspaper from 2004 until 2022. As Diplomatic Editor, Indrani covered the Ministry of External Affairs on her news beat, as well as interpreted and analyzed global trends with an Indian perspective.

Earlier, Indrani worked with India Today, a premier news magazine, The Economic Times and The Statesman. She graduated from Loreto College, Calcutta University with English honours. Indrani was a Reuters Fellow at Oxford University in 1997. In 2010, Indrani was awarded the Chang Lin-Tien fellowship by the Asia Foundation to study US-China relations at Brookings Institution, Washington DC. She is a Fellow of the Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship Class 3 of the Ananta Aspen Centre and a member of Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Irene Louth serves as Vice President of Taxation and Global Head of Tax at Atlas Air Worldwide, headquartered in New York. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut's Master of Accounting program.

Irene oversees Atlas Air’s global tax function, strategy and operations. Irene advises executive leadership, the board of directors, and senior stakeholders on complex tax and business matters. She has played a key role in shaping best practices and has led cross-functional efforts on major transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, and due diligence processes. A passionate advocate for inclusivity and culture builder, Irene is also the co-founder of the Atlas Air Women’s Network, the first employee resource group at Atlas Air.

With extensive and diverse experience in taxation, Irene’s expertise spans U.S. federal, state, and international tax domains. She specializes in global tax policy, worldwide tax compliance, strategic tax planning, examination defense, tax incentives, income tax accounting, partnership taxation, and tax optimization.

Irene also leads the implementation of tax structures that support business growth and operational expansion, leveraging technology and automation to enhance tax processes and continuously upskill her teams.

Irene actively contributes to the aviation industry through her service as the Vice Chair of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) tax committee. She is also a tax committee member of the Airlines for America (A4A). She is a frequent speaker at various tax and industry conferences.

Irene’s career began at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she advised large public and privately held multinational clients on a broad range of business and tax issues. During her tenure, she was recognized twice as “Coach of the Quarter” for her commitment to mentoring and professional development.

Irene holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Accounting from the University of Connecticut, graduating summa cum laude. She was the valedictorian of her undergraduate class and delivered the commencement address.

Irene is a Certified Public Accountant and resides in Connecticut with her family.

Isidre Porqueras is a results-driven aviation professional with over 25 years of global experience leading high-performance teams and delivering transformative results across the aviation, industrial, and consulting sectors.

At Indigo – India’s preferred airline, Isidre began his journey as the Chief of Transformation and now serves as the Chief Operating Officer playing a pivotal role in propelling the airline’s next phase of growth.

Recognized for strategic leadership in complex, competitive environments, with a proven excellence in airline operations and commercial strategy, Isidre has demonstrated expertise in both short-term execution and long-term planning, with a focus on operational performance enhancement and cost optimization.

Over the course of his growth-oriented career, he has spearheaded a wide range of initiatives across flight deck and cabin crew management, fuel savings programs, streamlining Operations Control Centre (OCC) processes, ground operations strategies, and network harmonization. Additionally, he possesses robust commercial acumen, having led end-to-end commercial transformation projects, including go-to-market approaches, customer segmentation, sales force effectiveness, key account management, branding, and marketing.

Born in Tarragona, Spain, Isidre holds a PhD in Physics and an MBA from IESE Business School, including an exchange year at The Wharton School. His professional experience spans across diverse organizations like McKinsey & Company (UK), URSA Insulation, and Uralita. In his last assignment, he was the Chief Operating Officer at Volotea, one of the fastest-growing independent airlines in Europe. Before that, he was the Chief of Costs & Operational Performance at Volotea.

Together with his sharp business sense, scientific rigor, hands-on leadership and ability to navigate complex challenges, Isidre has consistently driven sustainable growth and operational excellence, earning him recognition in the aviation industry. In his leisure time, Isidre, or fondly known as Sid, swaps his suit for boxing gloves and shin guards hitting the ring, or trades his briefcase for a tennis racket.

Joanna Geraghty is chief executive officer of JetBlue Airways Corp., which encompasses JetBlue – New York’s Hometown Airline® – as well as subsidiaries JetBlue Ventures and JetBlue Travel Products. Her focus is on delivering a leading and safe customer service experience, and enhancing operational, commercial, and financial performance while nurturing JetBlue’s unique culture and standing as one of the best places to work.

Prior to becoming CEO of the company in February 2024, she served as president & chief operating officer since 2018. Earlier in her tenure she served as JetBlue’s executive vice president, customer experience, responsible for airports, customer support, and inflight service. She also served as executive vice president, chief people officer from 2010-2014, after being vice president, associate general counsel and director, litigation and regulatory affairs. Joanna has been with JetBlue since 2005.

Joanna serves on the board of directors of the JetBlue Foundation, Airlines for America (A4A), L3Harris Technologies, and is chairperson of the board of Concern Worldwide, an international not for profit. Before joining JetBlue, she was a partner at the law firm Holland & Knight. She received her bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross, her master’s in international relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and
Public Affairs, and her J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law.

Lynn Guiney is the Chief Commercial Officer of Macquarie Air Finance, an Investment Grade aircraft lessor with a portfolio of 230 owned aircraft and order commitments for 80 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing.

Lynn has worked in aircraft leasing for over 20 years. Immediately prior to Macquarie Air Finance, Lynn consulted with Sigrun/Asterion Industrial Partners, a European infrastructure fund, in addition to Grant Thornton Ireland. She previously led origination teams at Avolon, Standard Chartered and AWAS (now DAE Aerospace). She commenced her aircraft leasing career as a leasing and financing deal originator with RBS Aviation Capital (now SMBC), where she closed complex debt and leasing structures in the EMEA region.

From Dublin, Lynn holds a degree in Psychology, Masters in Business Studies, and is a fluent Italian and Spanish speaker.

Marie joined IATA in 2022 as Chief Economist. In January 2023 Marie added responsibility for IATA’s Environment and Sustainability activities to her role.

Marie joined IATA from Lombard Odier where she was Head of Global Trends and Sustainability. Her 30-year professional life includes roles for both investment banks and private banks, including HSBC in London, Merrill Lynch in Paris, and Indosuez in Geneva. Outside of the financial sector Marie worked for IKEA, and she also founded and managed her own company in the equine industry.

Marie holds an MBA from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and a PhD in International Economics from the Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland. She speaks Swedish, English, and French fluently.

> See Marie Owens Thomsen's full bio and photos

Pascal is a Director in the Paris office and heads up the Travel Payments Practice for EDC. Pascal has worked across four EDC offices (London, Sydney, San Francisco, Paris), has over 25 years of consulting experience, and four years of line management experience in financial services in the UK.

Pascal leads consulting projects across the main segments of EDC’s clients including payment networks, banks, large merchants, payment technology providers and other clients such as central banks and investors. Pascal holds an MBA from Lancaster University and a business degree from EM Lyon. Outside of work, Pascal is a keen cyclist and Arsenal supporter.

Patrick Healy is Chair of Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, Chair of Swire Coca-Cola Limited, an Executive Director of Swire Pacific Limited, and a Director of John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited. He is a Non-Executive Director of Air China Limited, as well as a Member of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Board of Governors and its Chair Committee.

Mr Healy has been with the Swire Group for 35 years. He joined John Swire & Sons in 1988 as a management trainee. After six years with the Group’s Industries Division in the Hong Kong SAR and Germany, he transferred to Swire Coca-Cola in 1994, where he worked in various roles in bottling operations in Beijing, Nanjing, Xi’an and Xiamen until 2012. He was General Manager of the Shaanxi bottler from 2001-2005 and General Manager of the Fujian bottler from 2005-2008. In July 2008 he was appointed CEO, HAECO Xiamen. Mr Healy returned to Hong Kong in 2012 to take up the role of Managing Director, Swire Coca-Cola. He became Chair of Swire Coca-Cola and Cathay Pacific on 1st October and 6th November 2019, respectively.

Patu Keswani graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi in 1981. He subsequently received his Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from IIM Calcutta in 1983. Patu joined the TATA Administrative Service (TAS) in 1983 and worked with the TATA Group for 17 years. His last assignment was as Senior Vice President of the Taj Group of Hotels. He subsequently worked with management consulting firm, A.T. Kearney Inc. as an Associate Consultant and Director in their New Delhi office. Anticipating the enormous yet latent demand for mid-market and economy hotels in India, Patu promoted Lemon Tree Hotels in late 2002.

He is currently the Chairman and Managing Director of Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd. which owns and operates 100+ hotels and has 100+ in the pipeline. Lemon Tree Hotels listed on the National Stock Exchange of India and Bombay Stock Exchange on 9th April 2018. Patu is focused on offering opportunities to Indians with disability and people from the economically/socially weak segment.

Presently, ~18% of Lemon Tree employees are from this disadvantaged segment of the population. Lemon Tree Hotels has been presented the National Award by the President of India for ‘Best Employer of Persons with Disabilities’ in 2016 & 2011 and a third National Award in 2012 for being a ‘Role Model in providing a Barrier Free Environment to Persons with Disabilities’.

Patu is a member of the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, Travel and Tourism (NSDC). Patu was previously Chairman of the Skills Council for Persons with Disability (SCPwD), as well as a member of the University Grants Commission and the Board of Governors of IIT Delhi. Patu has been awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by his Alma Maters - IIT Delhi in 2011 and IIM Calcutta in 2012. Patu received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 by IIHM (International Institute of Hotel Management) and IHC (International Hospitality Council).

Patu was inducted into the IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) Hall of Fame in 2019; the ‘Hotelier India’ Hall of Fame in 2012 and into the FHRAI (The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India) Hall of Fame in 2010. He received the Excellence Award (inclusion/diversity) at Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Awards 2018. Keswani is a first-generation Indian entrepreneur. His father was an Indian Railway Service officer and his mother a doctor in the Indian Army.

Pieter Elbers (54) is a seasoned aviation leader with over 30 years of global industry experience. Pieter landed in India in September 2022 as the CEO of IndiGo, India’s largest and fastest growing airline, leading it towards becoming a global aviation player. He blended in well, proudly embodying India by IndiGo. Pieter regularly posts on LinkedIn about his journey.

A firm believer in aviation as a driver for economic growth, social
progress and cohesion, he leads 40,000+ passionate aviation enthusiasts at IndiGo who are proudly Giving wings to the nation, by connecting people and aspirations. IndiGo welcomed over 118 million customers in FY25, across 130+ domestic and international destinations.

With over 2,200 daily flights and a fleet of 400+ aircraft, IndiGo has a simple philosophy: offer fares that are affordable, flights that are on time, and provide a courteous and hassle-free travel experience across its unparalleled network.

Under Pieter’s visionary leadership, the airline has embarked on the next stage of the incredible IndiGo journey, from India’s leading domestic airline to a global giant. In line with the growth and development of India as a global powerhouse, IndiGo aims to double in size and scale by the end of the decade. The historic
order of 500 A320 family aircraft, introduction of XLR in 2025 and the A350 widebodies in 2027 will ensure further growth. Executing the strategy of taking IndiGo ‘Towards new heights and across new frontiers’, IndiGo is spreading its wings. At the core, IndiGo remains steadfast in its commitment to sustainability, DEI and social responsibility.

Pieter’s foundation and experience were formed in his impressive 30-year tenure at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, where he started his career in 1992 managing aircraft loading on the ramp. He held several executive positions in The Netherlands, Italy, Greece and Japan, equipping him with a profound understanding of diverse markets and cultures. During his 8 years as President and CEO, since 2014, he led KLM through an intensive transformation towards its centennial in 2019 and thereafter guiding it through
the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic with resilience and clarity. In his time as CEO of KLM, he was also an executive of the Air France-KLM Group and held various supervisory and advisory positions.

Beyond his IndiGo role, Pieter is a member of the Board of Governors at IATA, and holds the position of Chairman as of June 2024, playing a pivotal role in his contribution to the aviation industry. A Dutch national with a distinguished academic background, including executive programs at IMD and Columbia University, Pieter has been honoured as a Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau, one of the highest royal decorations in The Netherlands.

Off the runway, Pieter believes in a healthy balance of mind and body, running regularly to stay fit. He is married and they are blessed with three children. Pieter has a deep appreciation for history and cultures, which fuels his global outlook. Under his inspiring leadership, IndiGo is not just flying higher, it is reshaping
the future of aviation in India.

Radhika Gupta is the MD & CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund. Under her stewardship, the company has seen a meteoric rise in Assets Under Management (AUM), growing from over ₹6,500 crore as of 31st March 2017 to more than ₹1.40 Lakh crore by 31st March 2024. A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Radhika is also a hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, and author. In 2022, she authored 'Limitless,' a ground-breaking guide steering the journey of self-investment towards success. Her dynamic presence in motivational sessions at corporate events and podcasts underscores her commitment to enlightening others on both fiscal understanding and mental resilience.

Radhika has been listed by Forbes, Fortune, and Business Today among India’s ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’ and by Economic Times in their list of ‘India’s Hottest 40 Young Business Leaders.’ Further solidifying her global reputation in the finance domain, she was recognized as a Young Global Leader in 2022 by the World Economic Forum and received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2023 from the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. She was also a judge on Shark Tank India (season 3) and has been named one of GQ India's 35 Most Influential Young Indians (MIYI 2024).

Richard Quest is CNN's foremost international business correspondent and anchor of Quest Means Business, the definitive word on how we earn and spend our money. Based in New York, he is one of the most instantly recognizable members of the CNN team.

Additionally, Quest is the host of two of CNN International's signature monthly feature programs: Business Traveller, which covers global business travel trends, issues and innovations of the travel industry, and Quest's World of Wonder, an immersive travel series that finds Quest exploring a new destination each month and meeting fascinating people who reveal the heart of the city.

Quest also serves as CNN Business editor-at-large and often hosts the digital live financial show "Markets Now" live streamed from the floor of the NYSE every Wednesday at 12:45pm ET at CNNMoney.com/MarketsNow.

Quest Means Business, which airs weekdays at 3pm ET / 8pm BST on CNN International, destroys the myth that business is boring, bridging the gap between hard economics and entertaining television. CEOs and global finance ministers make a point of appearing on QMB. Guests of the show include the biggest names in banking like Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase, Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida and Robert Zoellick, the former President of the World Bank; European policy makers including former IMF chiefs Christine Lagarde and Dominique Strauss-Kahn as well as former EC President Jose Manuel Barroso, and some of the most influential names in corporate America including Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey and Hans Vestberg of Verizon.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact economies and businesses around the world, Quest regularly interviews leaders across pharmaceutical, technology, aviation, travel and tourism industries including Operation Warp Speed chief adviser Moncef Slaoui, Moderna chairman Noubar Afeyan, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and IMF's chief economist Gita Gopinath.

Quest's dynamic and distinctive style has made him a unique figure in the field of business broadcasting. He has regularly reported from G20 meetings and attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland each year. Quest has covered every major stock market and financial crisis since Black Monday in 1987 and has reported from key financial centers globally including Wall Street, London, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

In addition, Quest is the established airline and aviation correspondent at CNN. He has interviewed all of the major airline executives including current Delta CEO Ed Bastian, former Delta CEO Richard Anderson, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker, United CEO Scott Kirby, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, Emirates CEO Tim Clark, Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss and Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. He has covered a number of breaking aviation stories like the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine, the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo crash and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

Quest is the author of 'The Vanishing of Flight MH370: The True Story of the Hunt for the Missing Malaysian Plane,' which details his unique perspective on covering MH370 for CNN.

Quest is also the face of CNN's coverage of major UK events. He led CNN's coverage of the 'Brexit' vote in 2016, and has continued to report on the impact the historic vote is making on markets, economies and businesses. He used his expert knowledge of the British Royal Family to front the channel's coverage of the 2018 marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 live from the banks of the River Thames; and the 2011 marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

His coverage of breaking news, which has spanned more than two decades, has seen him report on a range of stories from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the death of Yasser Arafat, the Lockerbie Pan Am 103 crash to the death of Michael Jackson. Quest is more than just business; there are few journalists who have had guests as varied, from His Holiness, The Dalai Lama to actress Joan Collins to founder of Playboy Magazine, Hugh Hefner.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) awarded Quest the 2013 UNWTO Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his work as a business journalist reporting on the tourism industry.

Prior to joining CNN, he worked at the BBC, where he was the North America business correspondent, based on Wall Street for 12 years.

Quest is British, holds an LLB (Hons) degree in Law from Leeds University, and was called to the Bar.

Richard W. Smith is the Chief Operating Officer, International, and Chief Executive Officer, Airline, Federal Express Corp. Immediately prior, Richard served as President and CEO, FedEx Express. From 2019 – 2022, he served as regional president of the Americas, which includes U.S. domestic, Canada, and LAC (Latin America & the Caribbean), and executive vice president of global support for FedEx Express. In this role, Smith oversaw FedEx responsibilities as part of the U.S. government’s COVID-19 response task force and the successful distribution of roughly half of all COVID-19 vaccines in the United States.

In December 2020, he testified in front of the U.S. Senate about the transportation industry’s preparations for vaccine distribution. He also led efforts to begin the transformation to an all-electric vehicle fleet at FedEx Express in support of FedEx 2040 sustainability goals. Smith joined FedEx in 2005. He has previously served as the President and CEO of FedEx Logistics, and his FedEx career also includes a series of leadership positions in life sciences/healthcare, network planning, and customer solutions, including serving as vice president of global trade services and managing director of life sciences and specialty services.

Smith is on the Board of Governors for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Board of Directors of Airlines For America. He is a past chairman of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce and serves on its Chairman’s Circle Board. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Smith earned his undergraduate degree from George Washington University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Rob McLeod leads Hartree’s Global Risk Solutions group, sharing advice and insight to customers across all industry sectors on energy price risk – from jet fuel and biofuels to natural gas, emissions and beyond – and providing hedging tools to help manage that risk.

Over the past 15 years, Rob has built a leading franchise in risk management across the energy sphere – structuring solutions to exactly fit clients’ needs, whether as standalone derivatives or embedded into physical supply. Prior to joining Hartree, Rob worked in energy at UBS. He holds a BSC in Economics from the University of Bristol.

With McKinsey and Company, Dubai since 2018 and currently a Partner at the Firm.

Leader of McKinsey and Company's Aviation practice in the EEMA region.

19+ years of Aviation operations and investment, 6+ years investing in the transportation and tourism sector with the International Finance Corporation prior to joining McKinsey and Company.

Set up the transformation program for one of the top 3 Middle Eastern full service carrier to deliver $2.2 bn+ of direct bottom line impact over 3 years – 80% impact delivered.

Supported an Asian carrier to rethink their operating model in light of the new business build strategy.

Supported an ME carrier to redesign and implement a revised performance management approach for the airline, and the group management.

Delivered $200 million + bottom line impact through a cost reduction /and efficiency improvement effort for a major full service airline.

Designed $300-350 million+ turn around plan for a national Asian carrier; fast tracked for delivery within 3 months.

Supported one of the largest tourism markets globally in designing an end-to-end Federal strategy including:

• Built a fair share market model defining aspirations across key source markets
• Built and supported early execution of key initiatives to drive growth of Federal itineraries including setting up an NTO, national infrastructure body etc.

Tamur Goudarzi Pour is Executive Vice President Strategy and a Member of the Group Executive Committee at Lufthansa Group, responsible for shaping the Group’s strategic agenda. Prior to this, he served as Senior Vice President Customer Experience at Lufthansa Group and earlier as Chief Commercial Officer at Swiss International Air Lines.

Vinod has 30 years of experience in international taxation, both from a public service (legislator) perspective as from a private practice (tax lawyer) perspective representing multinational companies. Vinod is currently the KPMG EMA (Europe, Middle-East and Africa) Tax Policy Leader and is working from the KPMG Meijburg & Co office in Amsterdam (Netherlands).

Vinod is a member of the KPMG Global Tax Policy Leadership Group and in this capacity Vinod is involved in a wide range of EU, US and ASPAC tax projects. In the present context of the debate on aggressive tax planning and BEPS, both in the public domain and in international organizations such as the EU and the OECD, Vinod is translating all current developments into valuable risk and opportunities analyses for multinational companies.

Before joining KPMG, Vinod was a senior policy adviser with the European Commission in Brussels (2004-2009), in which capacity he was responsible for developing tax policy in the field of international direct taxation. He was also the European Commission delegate to the EU Code of Conduct Group, assessing corporate tax regimes of EU Member States and their dependent and associated territories and the liaison for fiscal state aid cases for EU competition review.

Before the European Commission, Vinod was a senior policy adviser with the Dutch Ministry of Finance representing the Netherlands in the field of international taxation, double tax treaties and EU negotiations including State aid (1998-2004) including a year secondment to the UK Treasury in London (2001).