Consider reliability and safety to succeed

With a fleet of 41 Boeing 737 aircraft,iAero Airways is the largest charter airline in the United States, and Brendan Welsh serves as group CFO.iAero has thirty (30) passenger aircraft that range in configuration from low-density VIP charters (60 persons) to high-density 180-passenger transport. In addition, iAero Airways isdiversifiedwith an additionaleleven (11) cargo aircraft. They serve a wide range of clients, from the government to sports teams (both amateur and professional), rock band tours, and private family or group charters alongside cargo customers. The company has undergone significant transformative changes to meet current customer needs in a changing market, and to ensure future financial stability of the airline.

The goal of iAero Airways is, and always has been, to deliver safe, reliable service with excellent customer satisfaction.Under Brendan’s leadership, iAero analyzed the organizational structure and technology used to create a focused, efficient, and profitable company that supports customers and stakeholders without abandoning the airline’s long-term vision. ‘If you become more situationally aware and understand more about your company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, both internally and externally, you can modify and evolve your strategy to ensure success and stakeholder alignment’ Brendan explained. ‘To fulfill customer deadlines, meet expectations, and deliver services on time, iAero prioritizes safety and reliability (on-time performance)’. These three critical elements, according to Brendan, drive both repeat customers who have contracted with the airline for many years and attract new customers to the airline.

In the highly competitive air charter market, Brendan regularly reviews and adjusts customer pricing based on demand and seasonality. He understands the importance of accurately pricing the iAero product to reflect its value, this alongside managing costs and improving efficiency by utilizing state-of-the-art technologyhas all led to improved profitability and sustainability. His past experiences in various organizations have prepared him well to lead the continuous improvement and transformational change at iAero Airways. What sets Brendan apart from his peers is his ability to quickly learn and adapt in different industries, companies with variedproducts and services. Hisvast operational knowledge and finance background set him apart, alongside his experience with diverse types of ownership structures. He is currentlyusingthese skills, knowledge and experiences to efficiently transform iAero Airways, ensuring its growth in the present and future.

Brendan has held a variety of leadership positions in numerous companies and industries across the globe; He believes that trust, respect, teamwork, integrity, honesty, and strong business ethics are vital for success. He values understanding different perspectives and aims to be a role model. Although making tough decisions is challenging, he always strives to do what is morally and ethically right. Brendan emphasizes the importance of open and honest communication and feedback for learning and improving. His main priorities are the well-being of employees, creating a work-life balance, and maintaining a productive workforce.

Brendan believes in the importance of lifelong learning, whether in a professional or personal capacity, and strives to be a better leader. He recently achieved his goal of obtaining an MBA, which taught him various techniques for developing his skills and knowledge. He honed his skills in how to set challenging goals in specific areas, reflect on his progress, and identify areas for improvement. Brendan values both self-reflection and feedback from trusted peers or mentors, as they provide valuable assessments that drive continuous improvement.

Brendan also believes that a successful work environment can be created by promoting teamwork. This can be achieved by setting clear goals, promoting effective communication, and building trust and respect. It is important to define roles and responsibilities, set expectations, and provide recognition and rewards. Constructive feedback can then lead to continuous improvement. Brendan emphasizes the importance of leading by example, even though it may take time and effort to establish this type of culture.

To achieve success as a company, Brendan understands it is important to have a clear vision for the organization and a well-defined strategy to achieve that vision. This strategy must be aligned across all departments and functions. It is also important to have strong and effective leadership that can adapt to challenges and drive change. Employees must be empowered to make decisions that benefit customers and stakeholders and should be encouraged to continuously learn and develop their skills.

In addition, he believes that the measurement of progress is essential for success and enables monitoring of performance against the strategies. Using key performance indicators to track progress and regularly analyzing and reviewing performancedata will help pinpoint areas for improvement. By incorporating these strategies and maintaining a focus on learning and continuous improvement, an organization can increase its likelihood of success and long-term sustainability. It is also essential to have the right resources and project managers allocated to the transformation efforts. Communication with employees is crucial in engaging them in the process and emphasizes the benefits of the transformation.

Brendan explains that the charter aviation industry is a small and close-knit community that is constantly changing. Despite the competitive nature of the business, there are various sources of information, such as customer interaction, public information, and well-informed staff. iAero Airways is the dominant airline in the charter sector, and they believe in their strategy. While it is important to understand their competition, they are confident in their own plan and try not to stray too far from it.

Brendan’s life work is on transformative corporate strategic projects. He quickly assesses his clients' needs and develops short-, medium-, and long-term profit and success strategies. This includes making tough decisions like restructuring companies and making organizational adjustments for long-term success. At iAero Airways, Brendan improves operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, safety, reliability,and reporting by leveraging innovative technologies.

iAero Airways usesstate of the art software and technology to optimize various aspects of airline operations, such as flight scheduling, route planning, crew management, and maintenance. iAero utilizes sensors and analytics to predict and minimize aircraft downtime. Additionally, iAero hassoftware in place to manage crew scheduling, training, and performance, ensuring compliance with government regulations.Finance and accounting systems connect all business components, reducing expenses and increasing profitability. Brendan is currently engaged infurther modernization of the organization by implementing systems that improve ease, accuracy, and accountability across the organization.

iAero Airways’ philosophy has been, and always will be, to provide the safest, most reliable, and best experience for our customers, adds Brendan. iAero Airways will not divert from this mission, nor be complacent, and all forms of information and intelligence on what the competition is doing will inform their day-to-day competitive strategy.