Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation opens new European region office in Geneva, Switzerland

In January the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation opened its new European office in Geneva, Switzerland.

The new office will complement the recent opening of the Centre’s UK/Ireland office and will service its European aviation clients, as well as allowing opportunities for much closer interaction with industry organisations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airports Council International (ACI).

The Centre’s Managing Director, Peter Harbison, said, “European firms are increasingly looking to the global aviation powerhouse – Asia – for future growth opportunities. We believe the environment in Geneva is highly conducive to doing aviation business and we look forward to advising on many European clients on opportunities in the Asia Pacific region”.

“Geneva has built a reputation as the European aviation centre over the past three decades and we are pleased to be part of that leadership environment”, said Mr Harbison.

The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation recently established a working basis with ACI, under which they will cooperate in areas such as management training and publications.

“We have over the past three years contracted local staff in Geneva to work on such publications as the “Regulatory Affairs Review”, produced in cooperation with IATA, and on various airport and airline publications, said Mr Harbison. The Geneva office will also support the Centre’s expanding conferences activities.

“However, our main activities are in the areas of aviation consulting; the establishment of a local presence will greatly help us in gaining major contracts”, said Mr Harbison.

Mr Harbison and his family were Geneva residents for ten years, during which time he worked with IATA, and they have since maintained close professional links with many aviation activities in the region.

In addition to aviation consulting and publications, the Centre has organised several major aviation conferences, including a recent high level four day event in January 2005, in Singapore, which was attended by 550 industry executives.

The Centre will next convene a Middle East and India Aviation and Tourism Investment Summit in Abu Dhabi on April 26/27 at the Emirates Palace. The Centre is also staging the Japan & North Asia Low Cost Airline Symposium in Kitakyushu on 4-6 August 2005, just after the launch of All Nippon Airways’ proposed low cost subsidiary, Air Next.

The Centre also has plans to establish a regional office in North America.

See other recent news regarding: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation