(Posted 06th June 2025)
10 years ago, Mala Patel and I had an idea…
To build a business-focused, networking-heavy, community-spirited, fun, entertaining, and educational event for African aviation.
It would involve building business and personal relationships in both structured and informal ways, and setting politics, regulation and legislation aside to focus on improving the commercial performance of all stakeholders. Not because those things are not important, just we don’t have a mandate to change them (although we involve those who do!)
We started with a shoestring budget in Kigali back in 2016. I remember not sleeping for days before, nervous no one would show. Imposter syndrome struck.
Around 80 delegates took a chance and joined us for that first leap of faith and most are still friends, colleagues and attendees that have been on the journey.
We’ve never been about being the biggest event – I’ve never understood why marketing the number of attendees is attractive – I’d rather know there’s a level of quality and a healthy mix.
We’re heading to Zanzibar this weekend, and we’re now sold out, with 500 delegates ready to join us on the Spice Island next week
A massive thanks to everyone who believed in the project, and now we get to work delivering over 1300 pre-arranged meetings that we know will shape the future connectivity to, from, and within Africa.
Congratulations to Jon and Mala and their team! ATCNews is happy to have been a supporter to the event from the very beginning and continues to provide added publicity and visibility to what has become Africa’s most important aviation summit for connectivity into and across the continent!
