Aerospace Global News Theatre 1 – Wednesday 22nd July 2026

11:10 – 12:00 – AGF Technology Summit 

Panel: CTO’s

Lane Ballard, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President, Engineering & Technology Innovation, Boeing
Remi Maillard, Chief Technology Officer, Airbus

11:10 – 12:00 – AGF Technology Summit Sponsored by IBM

Panel: AI driven readiness: Unlocking the Next Era of Operational Advantage

Moderator: David McClelland, Journalist, Broadcaster; Technology, Cybersecurity
Zoe Zampini, AI Delivery Leader, BAE Systems Air
George Ferguson, Global Lead for Aerospace, Defence and Airline Research, Bloomberg Intelligence
Pooja Narayan, AI Fast Track Lead Airbus, Airbus
Paul Adams, Chief Innovation Officer, Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI)
James Petherbridge, Head of Aerospace & Defence, IBM

Join senior leaders from across Aerospace & Defence for a strategic conversation on how AI is transforming enterprise operations, reshaping workforce skills, and redefining governance in mission critical environments. Explore the real barriers to scaling AI, learn how to move from pilots to production, and discover what A&D can learn from other sectors. This session focuses on AI for business impact— giving executives the insight they need to drive AI powered transformation across their enterprise.

13:00 – 13:40 AGN Session Sponsored by HCL Tech 

Panel: AI is Transforming the Aerospace Value Chain

Matthew Cordner
Arjun Sethi, Chief Growth Officer, Aerospace, Defence & Strategic Segment, HCL Tech
Sayan Bose, Global Head, Industries, Aerospace & Defence Manufacturing, SAP
Roy Thomas-Davis, Associate Vice President, Industry Principal – Aerospace and Defence, HCL Tech

AI will create enterprise business value in aerospace only when it is embedded into the processes that design, plan, manufacture, certify, deliver, maintain and support aircraft – not treated as a stand-alone IT topic. Join IT leaders from leading aerospace companies as they discuss how AI and modern enterprise platforms can improve supply chain resilience, accelerate production and enable smarter, data-driven operations. The panel will share practical insights into where AI can deliver measurable business value and what it will take to responsibly scale AI across the enterprise.

14:00 – 14:15 AGN Session

Keynote: Transforming the passenger experience through technology.

Louise Brown, Head of IT & Customer Products, Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, partnered with Capgemini to fundamentally transform its passenger experience and operational efficiency through digital innovation. Heathrow’s ambition was to create a seamless, stress-free journey for every passenger by integrating digital channels, automating customer service, and personalising interactions at scale – supporting the passenger journey, prior to, during and after their engagement at the airports experience through technology.

14:15 – 15:00 AGN Session 

Panel: Building the Intelligent Aerospace Ecosystem

Ruben Gomez, Strategy and Business Development Manager, ADS Group
Kap Prabhakaran, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Cyient
Yan Noblot, Director Strategy & Partnerships, Trescal

The next phase of transformation is not internal digitisation alone, but ecosystem-wide intelligence. This session explores how OEMs, suppliers, operators and technology partners can connect data, systems and decision-making to create a more responsive, efficient and resilient aerospace value chain from design through aftermarket support.

15:10 – 16:00 – AGF Technology Forum

Panel: Advanced Air Mobility After Scale: Evolving the Global Regulation & Policy Landscape

Jessica Jones, Executive Director – Office of Advanced Aviation Technologies (AAT), FAA

AAM After Scale brings together the global regulatory bodies and leading innovators to explore what happens when eVTOL operations move from pilot projects to national infrastructure. Building on groundbreaking and evolving regulatory landscapes, this session looks beyond early deployment to the systemic shifts that will define the next decade. Thought leaders will share insights on regulation as software, AI-native airspace management, cross-border AAM corridors, energy-dependent mobility networks, and digital twin governance—a forward-thinking blueprint for the skies of 2030 and beyond.

16:10 – 17:00 AGN Session 

Panel: Taking Up Space: From the Hangar Floor to the Boardroom

Patrice Gordon, Founder & CEO, Eminere
Sophie Dekkers, CCO, Easyjet
Rachel Gilmour, Pilot Loganair
Natalie Bourne, Purchasing Director Indirects, Safran
Sumati Sharma, Partner at global management consulting, Oliver Wyman

This panel examines how women physically, professionally, and culturally take up space across aviation and aerospace, and what happens when systems are built to support that presence rather than resist it.
It connects hands-on operational roles with strategic leadership, showing that inclusion must exist across the entire value chain, not just at the top.
The conversation balances personal experience with structural insight, making it relatable, credible, and action-oriented, discussing: • Where do women still feel they don’t have space, and why?
• How do power, voice, and visibility differ across aviation roles?
• What practical changes make the biggest difference on the ground?

17:00 AGN Session

Keynote: Closing Address

Stephen Hillier, Chairman, UK CAA