Vote now – CANSO Person of the Year

Micilia Albertus-Verboom is one of the longest-serving leaders in the global ATM community, with 19 years as Director General of DC-ANSP. Under her leadership, the organisation has modernised significantly while safely managing strong traffic growth, with passenger numbers now exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

She is currently leading a major transformation programme, including the implementation of next-generation ATM systems, digital tower capability and new operational infrastructure. This has been delivered against a backdrop of regional geopolitical complexity, requiring strong leadership and resilience.

A highly engaged member of the global ATM community, Micilia has played a key role in regional and international collaboration through CANSO, while also serving as a role model for leadership and diversity within the industry.

As Assistant Director General, Ahmed has led significant advancements in airspace performance, sustainability and regional harmonisation during a period of rapid aviation growth in the Middle East. Overseeing one of the world’s busiest and most complex airspaces, he has ensured that capacity development keeps pace with demand, managing nearly 1.1 million flights annually.

Under his leadership, the implementation of Free Route Airspace has delivered measurable environmental benefits, including substantial fuel savings and CO₂ reductions. He continues to drive national transformation through the UAE Airspace Restructuring Programme while leading key regional initiatives such as the Gulf Upper FIR.

Through his roles across CANSO and ICAO structures, Ahmed is contributing to the evolution of global air navigation strategy, delivering both strategic vision and measurable operational outcomes.

As Head of Air Traffic Services Training, Airways International Ltd, Kelly has played a transformative role in air traffic control training, helping Airways New Zealand achieve an exceptional training success rate of around 95 per cent, significantly outperforming global averages. She has led the development of a fully competency-based training system, ensuring that progression is based on demonstrated operational performance rather than time served.

Her work has strengthened consistency, transparency and rigour across training and assessment, including the integration of independent operational examiners to validate outcomes. By aligning candidate selection with training frameworks, she has further enhanced decision-making across the training pipeline.

Beyond her organisation, Kelly has shared this approach internationally through ICAO forums, regional programmes and CANSO initiatives, helping to build training capability worldwide. Her contribution has had a direct and lasting impact on both training quality and operational safety.

With over four decades of experience in aviation, Jan Klas is a highly respected leader within the European ATM community. Since becoming Director General of Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic in 2007, he has led major modernisation initiatives, including Free Route Airspace integration, early deployment of CPDLC and the development of advanced ATM systems aligned with SESAR.

His leadership has ensured high levels of safety, operational resilience and capacity, while supporting wider European coordination during periods of crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also played a key role in integrating unmanned aviation and advancing collaborative European ATM strategies.

Beyond operational achievements, Jan is recognised for his commitment to professional development, industry collaboration and social responsibility, making a lasting contribution to both the ATM sector and the wider community.

As founder and CEO of Aireon, Don has led one of the most significant technological advancements in modern aviation. Under his leadership, Aireon has delivered the world’s first global, space-based air traffic surveillance system, transforming visibility across previously unmonitored airspace.

Since becoming operational in 2019, Aireon now supports over 24 ANSPs and nearly 50 countries, significantly enhancing safety in remote and oceanic regions. The company has also expanded into advanced data services, including turbulence detection and GNSS interference monitoring.

Don’s vision and leadership have reshaped global air traffic surveillance and established Aireon as a critical component of modern aviation infrastructure, delivering lasting benefits across the industry.