Stéphane is the CEO of Merchant Aviation, bringing over 25 years of experience in airport Design, Engineering, Construction, and Operations.
Stéphane began his career at Groupe ADP in 2000 and joined ADP Ingénierie (ADPI) in 2005, specializing in ICT and Special Airport Systems. He spent 11 years in the Middle East, where he oversaw airport expansions exceeding $5 billion in the Sultanate of Oman.
In 2020, he became Chief Technical and Maintenance Officer at Santiago International Airport, Chile (part of Groupe ADP) where he successfully led the $1 billion construction of the International Terminal and the renovation of Domestic Terminal 1, all while maintaining full operational continuity, managing CAPEX and OPEX, and overseeing the airport’s entire infrastructure.
Most recently, as Regional Director for the U.S. South Central Region at Merchant Aviation, Stéphane led the new ORAT program for Dallas Forth Worth expansion projects, bringing his extensive expertise in airport design, planning, maintenance, and operations.
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’.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Max Bohn is an experienced professional in airport and airline business development, with a decade of expertise spanning the Americas. As lead of the Air Service Development team at Merchant Aviation, Max focuses on air service development, strategic planning, forecasting, and business growth.
Previously, Max played a pivotal role at Santiago International Airport, where he successfully advanced commercial airline strategies and air service initiatives. At LATAM Airlines, South America’s largest airline, he contributed to major projects in two key areas: fleet management and continuous improvement in airport operations.
A Commercial Aviation Engineer by training, Max combines a strong technical foundation with a results-driven and business development approach. His diverse expertise in aviation management, strategic execution, and fostering partnerships ensures effective outcomes and innovation in the airport and airline sectors.
Gilles has over 24 years of experience in airport design, construction, and operational improvement. Early in his career, he oversaw compliance, service quality, and capacity planning for OMA’s 13 airports in Mexico, including negotiations on development plans.
At Paris-CDG, he managed operations during the Terminal 1 renovation, ensuring continuity and leading commissioning. Later, as Airport Resources and Operational Project Manager, he handled airline resource allocation, stakeholder relations, and traffic monitoring for Terminals 1 and 3.
Since 2017, Gilles has served as Senior Manager of Operating Policy and Performance at Groupe ADP, leading the Seamless Parcours Program under the SMART Airport vision, contributing to major projects like Terminal 4 and Fer-Air, and overseeing flow monitoring technologies such as Lidar, biometrics, and video analytics.
Civil Engineer with experience working on large scale airport development programs from design, construction to operational readiness and airport transfer methodology (ORAT) phases both on airport operator side and airline side. The last years I have been working successively on the design, construction and was part of the ADP International – led ORAT team tasked to deploy Groupe ADP ORAT methodology for the new International Terminal (T2) of the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago de Chile (SCL) concession managed by Sociedad Concesionaria Nuevo Pudahuel S.A., part of ADP International airport network. I have experience in EPC contracts management, engineering management, design, construction in major projects and coordination of master plan in airports projects. Management of public and private contracts. Progress coordination of technical office and quality department. Experience in developing and controlling building commissioning methodologies and taking over airport facilities. Experience in Operational Readiness for Airlines with a perimeter of 11 stations in South America, in charge of running airport operations and new stations and on large design & construction projects in the international aviation field in South America. My current position is as ORAT Program Manager Officer for Merchant Aviation, LLC a Groupe ADP Company. I am a part of the ORAT program for the Central Terminal Area Expansion Project at Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport in Texas.
Antoine Legros is a Regional Director for the South-Central region with over 16 years of experience working at various airports worldwide. Mr. Legros is involved at Dallas – Fort Worth International Airport leading an Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) program and coordinating on-call planning and concept guardian services. Mr. Legros has an impressive and extensive experience in leading operational readiness and airport transfer and opening for large scale airport development programs. Mr. Legros also has a strong knowledge and understanding of airport operations and air transport industry of domestic and international airports with previous roles as Airport Operation manager. Prior to joining Merchant Aviation, Mr. Legros managed Groupe ADP’s ORAT program as an operator, delivering ORAT projects for various airports globally.
Veronica is an aviation and international affairs leader with more than 15 years of experience in airport operations, business development, and global government engagement. She holds a B.S. in Aviation Management, is fluent in English and Spanish, and draws on international experience gained through living in Latin America and extensive global travel—informing her strategic, globally minded approach. Her background includes directing mission‑critical operations at JFK International Airport Terminal 4 and leading international aviation agreements at the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, D.C. She also led project development and reporting initiatives for a multimillion‑dollar terminal expansion on behalf of American Airlines at JFK Airport, strengthening project governance and cross‑stakeholder coordination. This blend of operational leadership, international policy experience, and large‑scale project delivery defines her as a high‑impact, globally oriented aviation professional.
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.
Jinsook studied at Columbia University for her Master of Science in architecture and urban design. She has extensive experience in managing and coordinating large scale redevelopment projects, including the central terminal area expansion program at DFW international airport.
Jinsook has a proven track record of aligning different workstreams to ensure that the project’s goals are met and that disruption to projects are prevented.
She has experience with identifying and engaging with stakeholders via appropriate communication structures.
Jinsook maintains efficiency in her projects by analyzing processes and providing feedback to management. She coordinates efforts with the appropriate departments to review policies in place, and takes appropriate measures to effect change when required.
Catherine possesses 17 years of experience in operations management within the airport sector. She joined Merchant Aviation as an Airport Operations Expert, specializing in airport operations. Her experience includes serving as an Airport Duty Manager at the ADP Operations Center in Orly, where she managed real-time performance and critical crisis situations. Previously, as Head of Outstations at Transavia (French low-cost carrier), she oversaw French and international stations. Her comprehensive knowledge of airport platforms is further supported by her tenure as Airport Duty Manager in Montpellier and her previous operations and business aviation management roles at Vinci Airports.
Javier Manzione is a graphic designer with over 18 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.
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.
Esma has a Master of Business Administration with a focus in HR Management and joined the Merchant Aviation team as an Administrative Coordinator. Leveraging a strong foundation in HR and operations, she provides essential administrative support, ensuring smooth coordination across projects and contributing to the efficiency and success of daily operations.
June is a 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.
Aadil is an Airport Planner with experience with Unmanned Systems and vertiport planning. He provides expertise from a operational background with a focus on small UAS and building operations for defense programs internationally and public safety agencies in the US. As a supporter of local communities he has worked with in classrooms integrating drones and robotics in underserved areas to increase awareness and provide education on varying aviation career paths.
His planning experience ranges from business case development and economic viability of AAM in underprivileged regions to developing airfield plans for high density urban vertiports. Aadil holds a Master’s in Business Administration in Aviation, and a Bachelor’s in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science, both from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has been an avid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot since 2018.
Manav is an Airport Planner at Merchant Aviation, supporting planning and design initiatives at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). With a background in architecture and urban planning, he brings a design-focused approach to airport development, ensuring efficient and passenger-friendly infrastructure.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Texas at San Antonio and has worked on master planning, schematic design, and project coordination across the U.S. and India. His expertise includes CAD modeling, environmental design, and airport facility planning.
Mrunmayi has a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban design from Columbia University. The focus of her projects include transportation studies, water urbanism and climatic resilience. She has experience in research of understanding urban development, its concepts and implementations in semi-urban areas of India.
She completed her Bachelor of Architecture from Rachana Sansad’s Academy of Architecture, Mumbai, India. Prior to her post graduation, she worked as an architect and project co-ordinator in Mumbai for two years. Her work spans from masterplanning, hospitality and commercial projects to residential interior design and detailing. She brings large-scale planning, graphic design, analysis and 3D modelling skills to her role as a Terminal Planner.
Manon joined the Merchant Aviation team as a Junior Airport Planner following her end-of-study internship, which focused on Advanced Air Mobility operations at airports.
She holds a master’s degree in Airport Management and Development from Florida Institute of Technology, specializing in airport planning and design, as well as an Aerospace Engineering degree from the French Civil Aviation University, with a focus on air operations and avionic systems.
Aarsh holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from the New York Institute of Technology with a strong background in architectural design. With professional experience in architecture, interior design, product and furniture design, and graphic visualization, he brings a multidisciplinary approach to spatial problem-solving. His academic work explores architecture as a social and cultural catalyst, with recent projects focused on spatial organization, user experience, and large-scale urban and infrastructure-based, community-driven design. Aarsh supports projects from concept through visualization, contributing to design development, 3D modeling, and architectural representation.
Archie is a CADD Technician and Junior Terminal Planner at Merchant Aviation. He supports master planning projects, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), through technical drafting, data coordination, and planning assistance. His work contributes to the development of planning documents, drawings, 3D models, and analyses that inform complex aviation projects.
