Richard Ellis, Fiona Smith, Mark Davidson and Charles Tavner

About Richard Ellis, Fiona Smith, Mark Davidson and Charles Tavner

Panel Chair: Richard Ellis, NATS

Richard joined NATS in November 2023 to create a new and transformative P&L to enable services for all airspace users to be integrated safely and generate value from new types of operational services both in the UK and internationally. With over 30 years experience he has spent most of his career in executive positions at the forefront of new industries enabling, commercialising, and scaling new capabilities. Over the last 6 years he has been transforming the Unified Traffic Management (UTM) industry.

Fiona Smith - Sustainability Director AGS Airports

Fiona Smith is Sustainability Director for AGS Airports Ltd and responsible for development of the Sustainability strategy and delivery of the net zero roadmap. With experience gained across 7 airports internationally and also for the UK CAA she is viewed as a leading figure in the sector. She is a founding member of the industry framework on Airspace Modernisation and passionately supports initiatives driving more sustainable aviation, social inclusion, sustainability and ED&I. She is Project Director for Future Flight project CAELUS, an Innovate UK funded consortium of 16 companies demonstrating viability of a drone enabled national network in Scotland. She was twice finalist for the Great British Businesswoman of the year award (Transport and Logistics) category.

Mark Davidson - Manager Economic Development, Angus Council

Mark has worked for Angus Council for 29 years and is currently Manager of Economic development. He is responsible for the delivery of the £26.5million Angus Fund other projects within the Angus Council boundary, as part of the Tay Cities Deal. The Angus Fund focusses on Clean Growth, Low Carbon and Agri-Tech. Within this Fund the Mercury Drone Port in Montrose is to be created. Mark is a Civil Engineer and formerly worked in the Roads Division delivering major Flooding and Coastal projects across Angus.

Charles Tavner - CEO Flylogix

Charles Tavner is the Chief Executive Officer at Flylogix. He is responsible for the strategic direction of the business. Charles was previously COO of the composite subsea pipe business, Magma Global, and has been a non-executive of a series of successful startups in the energy sector. Prior to that he led energy investments for IP Group plc and ran the medical device business at Cambridge Consultants. Charles has a Masters degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Charles began his entrepreneurial career in aviation when he negotiated the sale of an English Electric Lightning from his bedroom age 14.