Adam Freeman has spent over 15 years working in sustainability roles across Manchester Airports Group (MAG). Adam has helped MAG to become the UK’s first carbon neutral airport group, developed MAG’s 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy: ‘Working together for a brighter future’ and now lead’s the decarbonisation of MAG’s airports. In his role Adam lead’s the business’ strategic decarbonisation programme, including activities which ensure alignment with MAG’s Net Zero 2038 commitment and an exciting range of initiatives which are decarbonising aircraft activities at its airports. Adam also lead’s MAG’s approach to sustainability reporting and the growing topic of Environmental Social Governance (ESG). Adam is the co-lead for the Greenhouse Gas Removals workstream of the Sustainable Aviation Coalition and a member of the Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure Delivery Group.
Ashwin Jadhav is the Vice President of Business Development of Twelve, a chemical company for the climate era that makes everyday products from air instead of oil. As part of Twelve’s leadership team, Ashwin is the accountable revenue leader for a multi-billion dollar sales pipeline and oversees the customer acquisition, sales and commercial strategy of Twelve’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) products. Most recently, Ashwin spearheaded two large SAF offtake deals with the International Airlines Group (parent company of British Airways) and the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA).
Jacqueline Castle is CTO at the ATI with responsibility for its Technology Strategy – directing industrial research to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global aerospace and firmly on the path to a sustainable future. Prior to the ATI, Jacqueline spent more than 25 years in the aerospace industry at Airbus; most recently, she was UK Chief Engineer for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft, and before this the UK Chief Engineer for the A380 aircraft. Jacqueline is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Nikhil Sachdeva is Roland Berger’s Global Lead for Aerospace & Aviation Sustainability and a Principal in the London office. Nikhil leads Roland Berger’s work into how the aviation sector can transition to climate neutrality, from sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to hydrogen to electrical propulsion, to addressing non-CO2 effects, as well as the commercial and technological implications for the aerospace, aviation and fuels sectors. He specialises in strategy and implementation projects, having worked with major airlines, aerospace OEMs, investors, suppliers, as well as governmental bodies. Nikhil holds a Masters in Engineering from Imperial College and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Steve Gillard is Boeing’s Regional Director – Europe and METACA Sustainability. In this role he leads a team supporting Boeing’s customers and partners achieve their sustainability goals across Europe, the Middle East, Türkiye, Africa and Central Asia. Prior to this role, Steve was Boeing’s NATO Director and UK Head of Government Affairs.
Steve joined Boeing from Rolls-Royce, and the Ministry of Defence. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, chairs the UK Jet Zero Task Force’s SAF Start and Finish Group, an honorary Professor of Sustainable Aerospace at the University of Sheffield, a Member of the Royal College of Defence Studies and has lived and worked in Belgium, India, the USA and China.
Aslak Berg is a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform focusing on trade policy, international economics, regulatory policy and regional integration.
Prior to joining the CER, Aslak worked at the European Free Trade Association in Geneva, where he covered relations with the US, trade strategy and policy development as well as trade negotiations. Before joining EFTA, he worked on trade policy and negotiations with the EU in the Norwegian civil service and worked at DG Trade in the EU Commission as a seconded expert.
He has been cited in media outlets such as the Financial Times, BBC Newsnight and Politico.
Aslak studied at Vassar College and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Tim Johnson is the Director of the UK-based Aviation Environment Federation (AEF), an NGO dedicated to tackling aviation’s environmental impacts, and has over thirty years expertise in the aviation and environmental field. He represents the International Coalition for Sustainable Aviation (ICSA), an umbrella group for environmental NGOs, at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Previously, Tim co-led ICAO’s task group to develop the “offset eligibility criteria” for use in the global market-based measure CORSIA.
Alex Philpott is Deputy Head of Aviation Decarbonisation at the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport. He took up this role in 2020, with a focus on international policy and carbon markets measures. He is the UK’s member of the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environment Protection, and leads other bilateral and multilateral engagement. Alex also oversees domestic implementation of CORSIA, the inclusion of aviation within the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, and planning for greenhouse gas removals. He has previously worked at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, as well as in other roles at the Department for Transport including maritime environment and zero emission vehicles.
Diana Birkett Rakow is a member of the executive committee for Alaska Airlines, connecting guests from the U.S. West Coast to the world with 30,000 employees and $14B in revenue. In her role, Diana leads the company’s corporate affairs, reputation, and impact strategies, local market engagement and venture investment. She is responsible for sustainability, communications, government affairs, regional commercial teams and the airline’s investment arm, Alaska Star Ventures. Diana joined Alaska after two decades in the health care industry and government. She is also a Non-executive Board Director for Puget Sound Energy and works with industry, startups and investors to advance sustainability and clean energy.
