Speaker Bio

Frank’s aviation career spans over 30 years, characterized by a strong business sense, deep industry knowledge, and a proven ability to collaborate with government officials, industry leaders, and key stakeholders at the global level.
He began his journey with Thales, spending 17 years in various technical and management roles within the Air Traffic Management (ATM) sector in Singapore and in Melbourne, Australia, before leading business development across the Asia Pacific region.
His early work laid a foundation for understanding both the operational and strategic dimensions of airspace management, fueling a career-long passion for transforming air mobility.
Frank later joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Singapore, where he led the transformation and growth of the global ATM consulting business, advising governments, airlines, and air navigation service providers on modernization initiatives.
In 2011, he founded JSI Aviation Consulting, a boutique firm that provided strategic guidance and business support to airports, airlines, air navigation service providers, and aviation-related multinationals across the Asia Pacific region, strengthening his reputation as a trusted advisor and industry innovator.
In 2012, Frank took on a leadership role in Dubai, overseeing the expansion of Serco’s Aviation Business Line across the Middle East and ASPAC regions.
Under his leadership, the business diversified and expanded its portfolio of critical air navigation and airport operations services.
He returned to Thales in 2017, where he was tasked with developing — out of Melbourne, Australia — the Digital Aviation portfolio for Asia Pacific and Australia, focusing particularly on the Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) ecosystem.
Frank pioneered new business models and innovative approaches to enable safe, efficient, and scalable drone operations, helping lay the foundation for what is now widely referred to as the Low-Altitude Drone Economy.
His work introduced customer-centric digital aviation solutions that supported the integration of drones, urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles, and emerging autonomous systems into controlled airspace.
After more than 30 years abroad, Frank returned to Europe, where he now leads efforts to transform airspace and integrate drones and autonomous aircraft into civil aviation systems.
From Paris, he spearheads the global development of Thales’ drone ecosystem, working to enable the growth of the Low-Altitude Economy by advancing regulatory frameworks, digital airspace management platforms, and public-private partnerships worldwide.
He is widely recognized as a pioneer and influential leader in shaping the future of unmanned aviation and the commercial drone industry.
In addition to his role at Thales, since July 2023, Frank serves as the President of the Systematic Hub Drones, a major cluster dedicated to strengthening the Paris Region’s drone industry and accelerating the development of the broader drone ecosystem across France and Europe.
Through his leadership at Systematic, he fosters innovation, collaboration, and cross-sector partnerships aimed at scaling the European drone economy and reinforcing the region’s position as a global leader in advanced air mobility.