Kiran is Vice Chairman of Merchant Aviation’s Board of Directors. He has over 30 years of experience in aviation planning, design and construction management in large-scale aviation projects. Kiran was recently the Chief of Aviation Planning Division at the Port Authority of NY/NJ . Here he led the planning efforts of various Terminal, airside, landside and cargo planning projects, including a major delay reduction program for the NY/NJ airports. As Director of Terminal Planning for a leading consulting firm. Prior to joining PA, Kiran led numerous Terminal-Planning projects at several large and small hub airports. He has worked at more than 50 airports around the world during his tenure at TWA and Continental Airlines in the Corporate Real Estate, Planning, Design and Construction divisions. Kiran is recognized as a thought leader in airport innovations and is a regular speaker at aviation conferences around the world where he conducts workshops and focus group discussions on ‘Airports Of The Future’.
Joël Couillandeau is the CEO of Merchant Aviation. He has a multidisciplinary engineering background, combined with strong facilitation and collaborative skills. This unique combination makes him well suited for management of complex and large projects, which integrate planning, architecture, engineering and building systems. Since joining ADPI in 2005, Joël has served as project manager for major design projects. Prior to moving to our Summit NJ offices, Joël oversaw all airport strategic planning projects within ADPI. His recent experience includes planning optimization for the Shanghai-Pudong new satellite, expansion of the Santiago-Chile airport, and the site selection of a major new airport in South Korea.
Ray brings over 40 years of experience in Project Management, Design and Construction Management, of which over 20 years has been devoted to airport design and construction at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Ray was an integral part of the management team for the New International Terminal Complex and led several projects, including new Airport Administrative offices, Landside landscaping project, and the T3-Boarding Area G Secure Connector. Ray led SFO’s Terminal 2 Redevelopment project, where he oversaw the project from initial planning/programming stage to design development, construction and final delivery of the first LEED Gold certified terminal building in the US. This project served to set a new standard for terminal development and project procurement at SFO that is still used today.
Since retiring from SFO, Ray has been involved in several prestigious projects, including a $2 billion transit facility for Bay Area bus service and the future home for California’s High Speed Rail and local commuter rail service and a terminal modernization program at the Auckland International Airport (New Zealand) to build a unified terminal for international and domestic traffic.
Ray is a licensed architect in California and did his architectural studies at U.C Berkeley.
Ahmed is a civil engineer and project manager with 25 years’ experience in the airport sector specialized in passenger terminal planning and design, Ahmed SOUA has had key roles in major ADPI projects including the Jeddah KAIA terminal complex and the new passenger terminal in Tripoli – Libya.
In recent years Ahmed has served as project director for ADPI’s competition winning designs for passenger terminals at Beijing-Daxing, Chengdu-Tianfu, and Chongqing-Jiangbei airports. He has led ADPI’s collaborative eff ort in 2013 for the redevelopment of New York’s LaGuardia Airport and served as project director for the new passenger terminal complex at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai.
Ahmed has now joined Merchant Aviation and is leading the planning and design projects in the USA.
David serves Merchant Aviation as a Senior Airport Planner. He is an aviation architect and planner with 40 years of experience in the industry on assignments at over 75 airports worldwide. David has been advanced to the prestigious College of Fellows in the American Institute of Architects and is licensed to practice architecture in several states. He has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon, a certificate from the Executive Development Program at the University of Washington, and is a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives. Prior to joining Merchant Aviation, he served as the Aviation Planning Program Manager at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for 20 years and led the development of a 150-gate master plan that was the first in the United States to integrate sustainability into each step of an airport master plan. He has also served as a principal with several national airport planning and design firms. David very much enjoys helping airport clients solve their most pressing challenges. He is very collaborative and blends a strategic perspective with exceptionally strong analytic and physical planning skills..
Ed Harrison is an airport transportation executive with extensive experience and knowledge in the business of airports.
Ed was the Director of Property and Commercial Development for New Jersey Airports for the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey from 2002 to 2014. He negotiated major leases with United Airlines, FedEx, Signature Flight Support, and many others. He handled airport rates and charges, Airport Affairs, airport rate consultations and air service development to conform with the requirements of Air 21.
Ed went on to become the General Manager of New York Stewart International Airport ,where he led the effort to 1)market and rebrand the airport, 2) develop the first International Arrivals Facility,3) attracted the first international service to Europe, 4) doubled cargo at SWF as well as other airport improvements.
Ed has an MBA from Baruch College of the City University of New York. He was appointed Commissioner of the Board of Commissioners of Pilots, New York State and is a member of AAAE, ACI and a lifetime member of the Navy League and the National Defense Transportation Association.
Eugene is a NY-licensed architect with world-wide experience, specializing in large scale airport developments projects, office towers, and mixed-use urban development projects. With a keen sense of design coordination, he has managed multi-faceted teams with complex stakeholder relationships.
Eugene played a key role as the Lead Design Coordinator for the Beijing Daxing Airport, a new 7.5 million sf passenger terminal building capable of handling 72 MAAP in Phase One. He was a Senior Terminal Planner for Singapore Changi Airport T5. Earlier, he was part of a senior design team for Galaxy SOHO, a 3.5 million sf office and retail complex, notable for its curvilinear design in Beijing’s Central Business District. Eugene owns a UK patent for his work, titled “Intelligent Bi-stable Structure”.
Eugene has a B.Arch. from Carnegie Mellon University and a M. Arch. from the Architectural Association in London. He was born in Hong Kong and raised in Taiwan. He is fluent in English, Chinese Mandarin, and Chinese Cantonese.
Pawel Mankowski is a senior airport planner and senior project manager, with more than 24 years of progressive experience in both the private and public aviation sector. Pawel has provided a wide-range of airport planning, system planning, strategic planning and airfield design services to over 160 domestic and international airports and military installations. Pawel specializes in gate optimization programs, airfield design and operational efficiency. Pawel is a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives.
Prior to joining Merchant Aviation, Pawel worked at Denver International Airport, the 3rd busiest airport nation-wide, as Principal Airport Planner, providing strategic planning advice on short‐, medium‐ and long‐term planning initiatives, developed policy and strategic alternatives regarding planning goals, and developed recommendations on highly visible or sensitive issues to planning staff, the public, and stakeholders. Identified and directed the development of comprehensive airport plans, including airport capacity requirements, land use, ground transportation, and airport supporting infrastructure. Furthermore, served as technical advisor and consultant to city and county officials, state and federal agencies on airport goals, priorities, and regulations related to on‐ and off‐airport land use, natural resources, airspace protection, municipal infrastructure, transportation, and the quality of the City. Selected few airports worked on: DEN, YVR, YOW, YXE, YHM, YYT, YTZ, YQR, YPR, SMR, GCM, PLS, STT, EIS, GSO, SAV, BWI, EWR, JFK, LGA.
Javier Gonzalez joined Merchant Aviation as Regional Director of the Southeast US. Javier brings over twenty-five years of global experience as an accomplished senior program manager and aviation practice leader, who has fostered and managed relationships with clients and partners to develop and perform programs and projects and ensure seamless client service based on shared mission objectives and technical excellence. He has played a key role as a project manager, architect and planner for numerous aviation assignments worldwide, including the direction of projects at Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan, and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Mauritius, where Program Management Services were provided. Javier has served as a Faculty Member of ACI Global Training Program and is a certified Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP).
Mohammed brings over 16 years’ experience within the overall Aeronautics industry, ranging between Airport and Airline Operations & Operational Excellence, Customer Experience, Project Management, Aerospace Technology & engineering, and in ground handling. He is a leader and an expert in ICAO Annexes, ISAGO Certification, IGOM, and in Implementation and has a proven record in enhancing internal teams’ & customers’ experience in line with objectives. He has been within Groupe ADP for a few years now and has achieved success globally with his work in multiple countries in multiple senior level & leader positions. As the Head of Customer Experience and Operations for a major Groupe ADP airport in the Middle East, he brought in the first few of awards any airport in the region had won and succeeded in bringing the Skytrax Award for “Best Regional Airport in the Middle East” twice in a row, worked to rank 1st for the “Best Regional Airport in the Middle East” by ACI, brought the airport up to a rank of 6th in the “Best Airports in the Middle East” by ACI, from no global ranking to placing the airport as the 9th best in the “World’s Best Airports (2-5 million pax category)” by ACI, and led by example and worked alongside to make ensure internal satisfaction and brought up the airport to being the 9th “Best Airport Employees in the Middle East”. His achievements set him apart and makes him a well-rounded achiever of this industry.
Max is a Commercial Aviation Engineer with almost 10 years of experience in the aviation industry, with a diverse background in aviation management and business development. An experienced professional who has successfully led and implemented strategic initiatives within the airline and airport industries. He has played a key role in the Air Service Development at Santiago International Airport, Chile, as well as having worked in Fleet Projects and Airport Operations Continuous Improvement in LATAM Airlines, the largest airline in South America.
Waguih has over 35 years of senior management experience in aviation in areas such as airline operations, passenger experience enhancement, passenger processing optimization using technology and process redesign. His experience includes negotiating international joint ventures and business strategies and managing major facilities, operations and a diversified workforce.
As a Senior Manager with The Port Authority Aviation Department, Mr. Ouess was instrumental in leading a team that expanded and implemented new marketing and customer services initiatives, developed and implemented airport service standards, color coded way-finding standards and, introduced terminal planning and design standards. Mr. Ouess played a key role at major industry forums including the Simplifying Passenger Travel Interest Group (SPTIG) that tested and implemented biometric and other new technologies to speed up passenger processing at airports such as Global Entry, US Visit and UK miSense program. Mr. Ouess was also a delegate and an active member of; the World Routes Development Forum; the US DOT on passengers with disabilities; Piloted RFID Baggage applications with IBM and Emirates; and drafted key customer service requirements that were adopted by the US DOT Flight Delay Task Force. Mr. Ouess was the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Task Force Chairman and Founding Officer of the IATA Ground Handling Council (IGHC). He is a regular speaker at industry conferences as speaker, panelist and moderator.
Srivaths brings with him experience in airport planning and operations, operational readiness, project management, logistics planning, and execution. While working for Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), he played a major role as a member of the Operational Readiness, Activation, Transition (ORAT) team of the $2 billion T2 project in Mumbai.
Javier Manzione is a graphic designer with over 15 years of experience in print, web and video animation. His graphic art and animation work has been featured in award winning programs and marketing campaigns including the world renowned Emmy and Telly awards.
A recent graduate from Columbia’s Masters Program in Architecture and Urban Design, PeiJou works with our Terminal Architects on Master Planning Projects.
Sara brings a deep and wide-ranging skillset through her experience as an Executive Assistant in the non-profit industry. With eight plus years of administrative experience, she comes to Merchant Aviation from JCC MetroWest. As the Executive Assistant she supported multiple executive staff members, was responsible for managing the organizations donor information, and worked closely with the Board of Trustees. Sara has a B.S. Degree in Accounting from Fordham University.
Jinsook studied at Columbia University for her master in science of architecture and urban design. Prior to her master’s degree, Jinsook worked as an architect in South Korea dealing with variety of projects including residential, educational and commercial. She won competitions for the master plan at the Seoul Grand Park International competition and at Cultural Art Center Design competition, and at the Deagu Architecture Biennale International competition.
Cindy has a Master’s of Science Degree in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University in New York City. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Architecture from Chung Yuan Christian University in Taiwan.
Before joining Merchant Aviation, Cindy worked at an award-winning design studio in Taiwan. Her work experience includes Art Installation Construction and Exhibition Curation at events such as the Sharjah Biennal 13 in UAE and Soulangh International Contemporary Art Festival in Taiwan. Her architectural experience includes residential, commercial and renovation projects. Cindy brings 2D, 3D, mapping software and graphic design skills to her role as Junior Terminal Planner in our Airport Design and Planning Team.
Jared works at Merchant Aviation as an architectural designer and terminal planner. Jared joins us with consequential prior project and change management experience, developing skills that bolster his work combining high-level strategic goals with complex architectural puzzles. His work has covered the full scale of design engagement from custom board games to art gallery exhibitions to airport terminals including DFW, DEN, and EWR. Jared holds a Master of Architecture of Columbia University and a BA from the University of Miami. A native of Iowa, he is now based in New York City. Jared is an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects and a Member of the Architectural League of New York.
Chinedu holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, as well as a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design degree from Columbia University.
During his undergraduate learning, he interned at Related Midwest, a real estate firm in Chicago, IL, and prior to his postsecondary education, he gained the privilege of participating in the AIA|DC Design in Action Program in Washington, DC. He also was the recipient of the 2015 Barbara G. Laurie Scholarship, sponsored by AIA|DC and the Washington Architectural Foundation.
Aadil joins the Merchant Team as a Junior Airport Planner with experience in developing the small UAS market all over the world. He is striving to increase the capabilities of advanced mobility systems and the value that they provide. Aadil has been at the forefront of the new influx of advanced aviation by increasing awareness within the classrooms and local governments in rural areas. As an alumnus from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Aadil has a B.S. in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science with a strong passion for aviation and the impact it has on society.
June joins the Merchant Team as a Junior Terminal Planner with experience in architectural design and research. Her concentration in graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania is in parametric and generative design, along with digital fabrication.
She has worked as a research fellow, lab technician, and teaching assistant at the UPenn Autonomous Manufacturing Lab and has published research papers on robotic fabrication.
Yiwei joins the Merchant Team as a Junior Terminal Planner. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology. Her diverse practice spans architecture, urban design, user experience, and branding design. With the interdisciplinary experience, she now forward focus on aviation planning.
Justin Edwards is a Junior Airport Planner at Merchant Aviation with 5+ years of experience in computer-aided design, space planning, and project management. Justin holds a B.S. in Interior Design and a Master of Science in Business from the University of Texas San Antonio. He is skilled in area improvement, design visualization, and knowledgeable in the use of materials.