Speakers

Passionate and energetic aviation executive with extensive industry experience in helping airports to successfully meet and exceed strategy goals. Adept in dealing with complex issues and challenges, enhancing stakeholders' performance within a collaborative working practice. Bringing forth an empathetic and growth mindset in guiding business operations, strategic planning  and service quality.

Ira is Head of Product and Strategic Planning in charge of managing strategic terminal processes currently in the Corporate Development Unit. Ira is enthusiastic about shaping the future of travelling looking systematically for new technologies and key drivers that streamline the passenger experience and enable a sustainable customer journey while ensuring cost-effective utilization of available operative facilities in line with the overall airport strategy.

Ira is an active member of the governing bodies of numerous industry organisations including the German Airport Association (ADV) and the ACI-Europe having been Chair of the Facilitation and Customer Services Committe for the last four years. She has collaborated in the publication of various documents of the ACI Europe, including the „Handbook for Airport Culture: The Human Touch in the Passenger Experience“ and „Guidelines for a Healthy Passenger Experience at Airports“.

Ira holds an M.A. in Economics and Business Administration (Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain) and acquired her Ph.D. in Social and Economic Sciences in 1999 (Wirtschaftsuniversität Vienna, Austria) with the dissertation „Privatization Policy applied to European Airports“. She began her professional career in investment banking with Robert Fleming both in London and in Madrid. Thereafter following her passion for the air transport industry Ira started a thriving airport business career in 2000 at Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH, where she took on different roles in the Ground Handling Department, Operations Business Unit and Aviation Management Division.