Worthy winners prove the sky’s the limit at the Aviation Industry Awards 2023

More than 200 of the aviation industry’s high fliers celebrated the best in the business at the Aviation Industry Awards 2023 at the end of November. The gala awards dinner was held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin, and was hosted by broadcaster, comedian and author Colm O’Regan.

Aviation is a vital sector in Ireland’s economy. Oxford Economics statistics suggest the air transport industry, including airlines and their supply chain, are estimated to contribute $10.4 billion of GDP in Ireland. Spending by foreign tourists supports a further $10.2 billion to the country’s GDP, making its total value $20.6 billion, or 6.8 per cent of the country’s GDP.

With 50 shortlisted and just 17 awards to play for, competition in this huge industry was fierce. The first awards event since 2019, the Aviation Industry Awards have reached new heights and we look forward to 2024.

This year, the Outstanding Contribution to the Aviation Industry Award was landed by Liam Bagnell, managing director of Aero Inspection. Bagnell has more than 45 years’ experience in the aviation industry with a career that included the Irish Air Corps and Aer Lingus before he founded Aero Inspection in 2003.

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“It’s fantastic for everyone in the company – they are so excited and aware that they are part of this award also. The calibre of the sector is extremely high and is reflected by the fact that we have over 50 lease companies in the aviation industry in Ireland. The standards are getting higher and higher,” said Bagnell.

The top business award, aviation company of the year, went to Ireland’s newest regional airline, Emerald Airlines.

The award’s sponsor and overall gold sponsor was commercial aircraft leasing, financing and management firm Falko. Jeremy Barnes, Falko’s chief executive, said: “As a regional aircraft lessor, Falko was delighted to present Emerald Airlines with the Aviation Company of the Year award.”

Barnes praised the awards and Ireland’s world-leading industry. “The Aviation Industry Awards is a fantastic event that celebrates the achievements of the many businesses that together put Ireland at the forefront of the aviation industry,” he said.

AerAdvise, the technical consulting and asset management company, won the people development award. Fiona MacMullan, technical services manager at AerAdvise, said: “To receive industry recognition of our commitment to training and development is of immense value to AerAdvise, as we continue to develop in the aviation industry. Our team stands as a testament to the success of our investment in training.”

The quality of entries this year showed the forward-thinking and ambition within Ireland’s aviation sector. One of the judges, Dr Kyriakos Kourousis, associate professor at the University of Limerick, said: “I was pleased with the quality of the submissions. The diversity of the highlighted projects from the various entrants was enlightening in terms of the work and the innovation happening within the Irish aviation industry over past years.”

Another judge, Patrick Edmond, managing director of Altair Advisory, said: “There were some very good entries that really showed a lot of vision and effort.”

And it wasn’t just the winners who valued the awards. Barry Fitzgerald, CTO of shortlisted aviation software maker Cloudcards, said: “The importance of innovation and quality in the aviation industry should not be underestimated. The Aviation Awards provide the lens to magnify its importance.”

Ali Ben Lmadani, founder and chief executive of ABL Aviation, an aircraft asset management firm providing leasing and investment solutions that was another of the 33 shortlisted firms, praised the focus on sustainability.

“2023 has marked a significant focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals within the aviation industry, with a growing emphasis on fuel-efficient, low-emission aircraft. This trend stems from increased regulatory and policy-driven commitments to sustainability. Consequently, financial institutions are adapting, offering financing solutions that align with and support airlines’ ESG targets,” he said.

Speaking at the awards, Kevin O’Driscoll, director of partnership programmes at BusinessRiver said: “Events like this are made possible through the support of sponsors. We are thankful to our 2023 sponsors and professional partners, such as Falko. Their investment in the awards underlines their commitment and support of this key business area.”

The awards were judged by a distinguished panel of aviation experts drawn from across the industry.

Full list of judges

Marina Efthymiou – (judging co-ordinator), associate professor in aviation management, Dublin City University
Patrick Edmond – managing director, Altair Advisory
Rob Jenner – director, aviation, Atkins
Dr Kyriakos Kourousis – associate professor, University of Limerick
Rick Livingstone – managing director, Socomore Ireland
David Lucey – senior VP, Enterprise Ireland
Patrick Murphy – director, KPMG
Aoife O’Sullivan – partner, The Air Law Firm LLP
Kieran O’Brien – partner, management consulting, aviation finance and leasing, KPMG