Mesfin Tasew Bekele

Mesfin was appointed group chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines in March 2022. He joined the airline in 1984 as an associate engineer and progressed through the ranks to become chief operating officer from 2010 to 2021. He also served as CEO of ASKY Airlines from April 2021 to March 2022, before taking up his current position as CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. He is also a member of the IATA Board of governors.

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Elevating the new mega airport city in Bishoftu

Within a mission to elevate African aviation and significantly advance the region’s air travel infrastructure, Ethiopian Airlines is designing and constructing a mega airport city at Abusera in Bishoftu city. Projected to ultimately host over 110 million passengers a year, the state-of-the-art airport is envisioned to revolutionize air travel in Ethiopia and cement the country’s position at the crossroads of the world’s most rapidly expanding air travel markets — Africa, Asia, and the Middle East — and as Africa’s global transportation hub. The vision spotlights sustainable design and construction, exceptional passenger experience, future readiness, resilience, and community.

The audience will learn:

• The new airport is designed to meet the International Air Transport Association’s forecasts of 200% growth over the coming decade
• With exceptional growth forecast for Africa, the airport provides vital global air connectivity and accelerates economic growth in Ethiopia
• In line with best practices, the airport will be people-centric and intuitive, characterized by sustainability, resilience and future-fitness
• The vision for the airport spotlights sustainability – harnessing renewable energy and incorporating ecologically sound materials and sustainable construction practices
• The architectural approach draws heavily on insights into local communities and cultures to create a new national landmark for Ethiopia