Voting open for the CANSO Person of the Year Award 2026
Voting is now open for the inaugural CANSO Person of the Year Award, recognising an individual who has delivered exceptional impact across the global airspace community.
Following a strong response to the call for nominations, five outstanding finalists have been selected. The winner will be decided by CANSO Members, reflecting the collective voice of the global ATM community.
To ensure a fair and balanced process, CANSO Members are asked to vote for a candidate from outside their own organisation. Voting is open until Wednesday 29 April.
The finalists are:
Kelly de Lambert, Airways International Ltd
Kelly has transformed air traffic control training through a fully competency-based approach, delivering a sustained success rate of around 95 per cent—significantly above industry norms. By aligning candidate selection with training progression and embedding evidence-based assessment, she has improved transparency, consistency and outcomes across the training pipeline. Her work has been shared globally through ICAO and CANSO, strengthening training capability and contributing directly to enhanced operational safety.
Ahmed Al Jallaf, UAE GCAA
Ahmed has led major advances in airspace performance, sustainability and regional harmonisation within one of the world’s busiest airspaces. Overseeing nearly 1.1 million flights annually, he has ensured capacity evolves ahead of demand while delivering measurable environmental benefits through initiatives such as Free Route Airspace. Through national programmes and regional leadership, including the Gulf Upper FIR, he continues to shape air navigation strategy with system-wide impact.
Jan Klas, Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic
With more than four decades in aviation, Jan has overseen significant modernisation across European ATM, including early adoption of Free Route Airspace and CPDLC. His leadership has ensured high levels of safety, resilience and capacity, while supporting regional coordination during periods of crisis. A long-standing contributor to SESAR and unmanned aviation integration, his influence has extended across both operational and strategic domains.
Micilia Albertus-Verboom, DC-ANSP
Micilia has led DC-ANSP for nearly two decades, overseeing sustained modernisation and traffic growth beyond pre-pandemic levels. She is currently driving a major transformation programme, including next-generation ATM systems and digital tower capability, while navigating complex regional challenges. A respected leader within CANSO, she is also a strong advocate for collaboration, diversity and leadership across the industry.
Don Thoma, Aireon
As founder and CEO of Aireon, Don has led the delivery of the world’s first global, space-based air traffic surveillance system, transforming visibility across oceanic and remote airspace. Since becoming operational in 2019, Aireon now supports ANSPs and states worldwide, significantly enhancing safety. Under his leadership, the company continues to innovate, expanding into new data services and reshaping the future of global surveillance.
Simon Hocquard, President and CEO, CANSO, said: “The CANSO Person of the Year Award recognises the individuals whose leadership, innovation and commitment are helping to shape the future of our industry. This year’s finalists represent the very best of the global ATM community, delivering tangible impact across operations, technology and collaboration. I encourage all Members to take part in the voting and help us recognise these outstanding contributions.”
The winner will be announced during the Seamless Skies’ Awards Ceremony at Airspace World 2026 in Lisbon.
