Conference Programme
Day One: Wednesday 20 November 2024
Theme: Prevention
Welcome to DISPAX World 2024
Philip Baum, Managing Director, Green Light Limited, and Visiting Professor, Aviation Security, Coventry University, UK
Session: The Country, The Region and The World
Navigating Unruly Passengers: insights from Thai law enforcement
Police Captain Airada Bumroungruksa, Advisor to the Faculty Council, Royal Thai Police Cadet Academy, Thailand
Passenger Etiquette Protocols: anti-social behaviour, offensive clothing, inflight political protests and xenophobia
Philip Baum, Managing Director, Green Light Limited, and Visiting Professor, Aviation Security, Coventry University, UK
Resilience in the Asia Pacific: the importance of regulators in combatting unruly behaviour in Asian skies
Lita Lee, Aviation Security Training & Capacity Building Officer, Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific (CASP-AP), International Civil Aviation Organisation, Thailand
Session: Cross-Cultural Issues
Session Moderator: Alexandra James, Analysis Output Manager, Osprey Flight Solutions, UK
Cultural, Gender and Regional Dynamics in Unruly Passenger Responses: does one size really fit all?
Magnús Brimar Magnússon, Partner, Nordic Flight Department, Iceland
Revealing the Essence of Cabin Crew Uniforms: influencing passenger behaviour
Juliana Oliveira, Cabin Crew Instructor, Be Secure, The Netherlands
An Asia-Pacific Analysis: on both unruly passenger behaviour and inflight theft
Ng Sue Chin, Assistant Manager – Technical Affairs, Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), Malaysia
Session: Behaviour Detection & Risk Assessment
Session Moderator: Doug Melia, Director & Training Consultant, Safer Handling, UK
The Simpsons: a tool for dealing with emergency situations
Kim Covent, Trainer and Senior Manager, Counterplay, Belgium
Threat Assessment in the Skies: calculating what might happen next
Manuel Heinemann, Senior Threat Assessment Consultant/Research Fellow, Institute for Intelligence and Security Management, Germany
Ain’t Misbehavin’: just lacking attention
Sandra Adiarte, Behavioural Analyst, Bond University, Australia
Session: Industry Responsibility & Culpability?
Session Moderator: Terry Upsall, Inflight Security Instructor, Green Light Limited, UK
Air Rage & Human Rights: protecting passengers adversely affected by unruly behaviour
Aleksandra Perković, Aviation Inspector, Croatian Civil Aviation Agency, Croatia
Do Airlines Aid and Abet Unruly Behaviour?: if so, should they be liable?
Trevor Jensen, Senior Consultant, Avlaw Consulting, Australia
Day Two: Thursday 21 November 2024
Theme: Response
Session: Aircrew Responses to Unruly Passenger Incidents
Session Moderator: Doug Melia, Director & Training Consultant, Safer Handling, UK
Communication with Law Enforcement: guidelines for aircraft commanders and airport police
Peter Nilsson, Police Commissioner & Head of AIRPOL, Sweden
Team Psychological Safety: when faced with derogatory comments
Katharine Ng, Head of Training, OneCrew, Hong Kong SAR
Ving Tsun: developing emotional skills through martial arts experience
Fabio Gomes, Security Consultant & Senior Master in Ving Tsun, Moy Yat Ving Tsun Safeguard Group, Brazil
Thiago Pereira, Security Consultant & Master in Ving Tsun, Moy Yat Ving Tsun Safeguard Group, Brazil
Session: Responding to Real World Challenges
Session Moderator: Alexandra James, Analysis Output Manager, Osprey Flight Solutions, UK
Under the Influence: a pragmatic approach to communication with passengers who are intoxicated or who have taken psychoactive substances
Aaron Le Boutillier MSc, Regional Vice President (South-East Asia), ASIS International; PhD. Candidate, Rangsit University; and, CEO, Le Boutillier Group, Thailand
Invasive Behaviours: addressing the scourge of sneak photography and sexual abuse of aircrew inflight
Ken Cheung, Head of Group Security, Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, Hong Kong SAR
The In-Between: if de-escalation fails, is restraint always necessary?
Susanne Kahlich, CEO, SINGE Network, Germany
Session: Reacting to Violence
Session Moderator: Terry Upsall, Inflight Security Instructor, Green Light Limited, UK
Empowering the Reluctant Adult Learner: are our flight attendants keen to be security first responders?
Prof. Peter F Mahoney CBE, Consultant Anaesthetist, IFM, UK and
Krishna Godhania, Conflict Resolution Consultant, FMA Tactical Ltd & Chief Instructor, Institute of Filipino Martial Arts, UK
Managing Violent Behaviour in the Skies: medical considerations and viable options
Dr. Tony Bleetman, Consultant in Emergency Medicine; Associate Professor, Queen Mary University of London; Medical Advisor, Ministry of Defence, UK
Dr. Stanislav Lifshitz, Attending Emergency Physician, Rabin Medical Centre; Biomechanics Expert, Aviation Optical and Medical Ltd. UK
Session: Airline Approaches to Physical Restraint
Session Moderator: Alexandra James, Analysis Output Manager, Osprey Flight Solutions, UK
Air New Zealand: when you’re a long way from everywhere, flight attendants must know how to restrain
Lois Simpson, Security Training Consultant, Air New Zealand, New Zealand
Restraint at airBaltic: philosophy, mindset, training, equipment and techniques
Diāna Marta Ruka, Ground Instructor Manager & AVSEC Instructor, airBaltic, Latvia
Conference Conclusion: what are you going to do differently on Monday morning?
Philip Baum, Chair, DISPAX World 2024 & Managing Director, Green Light Ltd., UK
Speakers
Sandra Adiarte, Analyst, Bond University, Australia
Sandra is an internationally trained specialist for structured movement analysis (Laban Movement Analysis) and the analysis of movement and behaviour in video footage in the forensic context. After a professional career in dance and pedagogy, she started her academic dive into psychology, and the behavioural sciences.
Currently, she is enrolled as PhD Candidate at the Tactical Research Unit (TRU) within the Health Sciences and Medicine at Bond University, in Australia. In her practice-based and field-oriented research she investigates the practices of behaviour observation and threat assessment via human observers. Her research and lectures apply an interdisciplinary approach for the purpose of training of security, law enforcement, and military personnel with the aim of supporting effective security management.
Philip Baum, Chair, DISPAX World 2024; Managing Director, Green Light Ltd; and, Visiting Professor, Aviation Security, Coventry University, UK
A security professional with an international civil aviation background, Philip’s reputation is built on his common-sense approach to risk management. He encourages others to think outside the box and develop effective security solutions capitalising on human intuition and the intelligent use of technology.
In 2021, he was the recipient of the Lifetime Service to Aviation Security Award presented by Emirates Group Security and Edith Cowan University.
Philip devised and developed T.R.A.P.® (Tactical Risk Assessment of People), a risk-based security system based on non-racial profiling, observational and questioning techniques. He has developed and chaired the DISPAX World series of conferences, as well as the Behavioural Analysis series (addressing the identification of hostile and negative intent through non-racial profiling techniques), and Body Search. He was an expert witness in the United Kingdom’s House of Commons’ Home Affairs Committee inquiry into aviation security in the aftermath of the attempted downing of an aircraft by a suicide bomber on Christmas Day 2009.
He is a visiting professor of Aviation Security at Coventry University. He is an accredited instructor and courseware developer for both the Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), for whom he has led projects around the globe. Currently he is working on both UNODC and UNOCT projects relating to behaviour detection and the behavioural sciences.
Philip was editor-in-chief of the global journal of airport and airline security, Aviation Security International, between 1997 and 2021. He also appears on CNN, Sky News and the BBC, providing expert comment on aviation security issues and is the first port of call for event organisers in need of a dynamic speaker or conference chair, regularly being called upon to facilitate debates at international symposia. In 2016, his book, Violence in the Skies: a history of aircraft hijacking and bombing, was published.
Dr Tony Bleetman, Consultant in Emergency Medicine; Associate Professor, Queen Mary University of London; Medical Advisor, Ministry of Defence, UK
Tony Bleetman is a consultant in emergency medicine and has been pursuing a parallel career in the provision of safe solutions for managing challenging and violent behaviours.
He was awarded his PhD by the University of Birmingham for work on developing body armour for the police; this arose from his work for the UK Home Office and the Police Federation on officer safety programmes, addressing protection from knives and bullets.
In 1998, Tony qualified as a police instructor for unarmed defensive tactics, safe prisoner restraint, handcuffing, tactical communication skills, incapacitant sprays and knife defence. Since then, he has been able to work with mental health, custodial and other services to minimise the risks of physical intervention and restraint.
Tony is an associate professor and honorary senior lecturer at Warwick Medical School and Queen Mary University of London. He is leading an MSc programme on safer care and custody. He also serves as a medical advisor to the UK Ministry of Defence.
He is a principal associate of SWC Experts Ltd – a company providing expert advice on behaviour management and physical interventions – and a director of Independent Sector Emergency Medical Ltd, a company providing emergency medical services for the private sector.
Tony has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed professional journals and authored a number of chapters for medical textbooks.
Police Captain Airada Bumroungruksa, Advisor to the Faculty Council, Royal Thai Police Cadet Academy, Thailand
As a legal professional with extensive experience, Airada Bumroungruksa has journeyed from studying law at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand to completing her LL.M. at King’s College London. Currently, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Law at Chulalongkorn University.
Professionally, Airada Bumroungruska has advised on legal issues in real estate and project management, enhancing her expertise in understanding the intersection of law and business. Her career shifted to politics, as she ran to become a Member of Parliament, broadening her perspective on governance. She joined the Royal Thai Police in 2020 as a law lecturer, contributing to the drafting of regulations on the Use of Force and Firearms. Her Ph.D. research focuses on legal measures for these issues, aiming to influence evidence-based policies. Currently, she serves on the Ministry of Energy’s working committee and advises the Human Rights Law Committee, Thai Lawyers Council. She is also a Corporate Advisor for the ES Counsel Law Firm.
Ken Cheung, Head of Group Security, Cathay Pacific Airwyas Limited, Hong Kong SAR
Ken Cheung is the Head of Group Security at Cathay Pacific Airways, where he brings a wealth of expertise in aviation security. Since joining the airline, Ken has held various management positions, including roles in intelligence analysis, security compliance, security operations, and threat & risk management, as well as in contingency response. This diverse background has significantly developed his knowledge and skills in the field of aviation and airline security.
In his current role, Ken oversees all security operations across the Cathay Pacific Group, leading a dedicated team to ensure that security measures are effectively implemented managed.
Ken holds a Bachelor Degree in Management Studies from Nottingham University in the UK. In addition to his role at Cathay Pacific, he has served a part-time lecturer at the Hong Kong University SPACE and is a qualified lead safety and security auditor.
Kim Covent, Senior Manager & Trainer, Counterplay, Belgium
Police Advisor Kim Covent has almost 15 years of experience in local law enforcement. She co-created the cross-disciplinary programme ‘Behind Enemy Minds’ on non-verbal communication, situational crime prevention, and customer safety. She trains and advises frontline colleagues in spotting and understanding deviant behaviour and preparations for a criminal attack. Furthermore, Kim applies her expertise to both cultural heritage security and nuclear security.
Krishna Godhania, Conflict Resolution Consultant, FMA Tactical Ltd & Chief Instructor, Institute of Filipino Martial Arts, UK
Krishna Godhania has been a professional conflict resolution consultant for over 25 years. He has conducted seminars worldwide and has trained a wide variety of people and groups ranging from the deeply committed to the reluctant. He specialises in bespoke training solutions for specific work environments.
Fabio Gomes, Security Consultant & Senior Master in Ving Tsun, Brazil
Fabio Gomes is a renowned security specialist with 25 years of experience, serving as a guest instructor for the Special Operations Forces of the Brazilian Army. He holds a degree in Security Management and is a Senior Master in Ving Tsun under the mentorship of Grandmaster Leo Imamura.
Fabio is a pioneer in using this martial system in elite training, collaborating with units such as the 1st Special Forces Battalion and the Special Operations Instruction Center. He has trained peacekeepers, amphibious commandos of the Brazilian Navy, as well as officers of the Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) in Rio de Janeiro. His work encompasses strategic mindset and behavioural skills.
He received the Medal and Diploma of Merit for Bravery from the Rio de Janeiro City Council and is a member of the Leadership Committee of the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Safeguard Group.
Manuel Heinemann, Senior Threat Assessment Consultant/Research Fellow, Institute for Intelligence and Security Management, Germany
Manuel Heinemann is a threat assessment consultant dealing with the behaviours of people on a daily basis. From his first steps as a social worker and probation officer to his Master’s degree in criminology, criminalistics and police sciences, Manuel has committed himself to the exciting topic of behavioural threat assessment.
Manuel is also a research fellow at the Institute for Intelligence and Security Management (I2SM) at the Northern Business School in Hamburg, Germany. He is currently researching violence prevention in airline security as well as violence occurring in online gaming communities.
Alexandra James, Analysis Output Manager, Osprey Flight Solutions, UK
As Osprey’s Analysis Output Manager, Alexandra James manages the delivery of all analysis products, including alerts and reports. She also maintains the Osprey Analytical Improvement Programme and is responsible for developing Osprey analysis quality in support of the Head of Analysis.
Alexandra’s role supports marketing efforts within the wider business via oversight of articles, case studies and other digital content. She also contributes to Osprey’s analytical output, with a focus on migration security issues, including human trafficking and people smuggling, as well as in-flight security.
She joined Osprey from Green Light where she was the sub-editor and regular contributor to the trade journal, Aviation Security International. In addition to her editorial duties, she also participated in delivering training in topics such as unruly passenger management (de-escalation and restraint techniques) and advanced interview techniques.
In 2020, Alexandra completed an MA in Forensic Linguistics at Cardiff University, with her dissertation focusing on communication between crew and aggressive airline passengers.
Trevor Jensen, Senior Consultant, Avlaw Consulting, Australia
Trevor Jensen began his aviation career in 1967 as a Qantas cadet pilot. He served as Technical Director of the Australian International Pilots Association before being appointed to the Qantas Flight Operation’s management team in 1982. There, he held several senior appointments, including Superintendent of Flight Safety and General Manager of B-747 Operations.
Resigning from Qantas in 1996, he has since held ‘C’-level appointments within large international/domestic airlines, at low-cost carriers, and for freight airlines within Australasia, Asia, and Europe. Most recently, he was Chairman of the Board of Nauru Airlines Corporation.
He has held regulatory responsibility for Air Operator Certificates and Certificates of Approval (Maintenance) issued by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the New Zealand CAA, and the Myanmar DCA.
Trevor is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Fellow of the Safety Institute of Australia, and a Liveryman of the Guild of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots.
Susanne Kahlich, CEO, SINGE Network, Germany
Susanne Kahlich is the founder of SINGE GmbH, a multimedia production company creating educational content for cross-border, cross-town and cross socio-economic migration. A serial entrepreneur and education innovator, she has been a passionate advocate against gender-based violence for over 30 years.
She is the founder of Pretty Deadly Self Defense, certified in DV awareness, and has consulted individuals, companies, NPOs and NGOs on women’s safety throughout the US, EU and Southeast Asia. Born and raised in the US, she is a dual German-American citizen, and has lived in the US, France and Germany. She is also a published author, art collector, martial artist, and violent crime survivor.
Lita Lee, AVSEC Training and Capacity Building Officer, CASP-AP/ICAO
Lita Lee has over 18 years’ international expertise in aviation security, particularly in high-risk environments. Currently serving with ICAO for 4 years and 6 months, Lita is skilled in training, management, and software development for aviation security programmes.
Lita began her aviation security career at Suvarnabhumi International Airport as the Secretary of the Chief Operating Officer, where her interest in aviation security (AVSEC) was sparked. She soon advanced to become an AVSEC Instructor and later took on supervisory roles at Baghdad and Al-Najaf International Airports in Iraq, spending five years in these capacities.
Her career progressed with a promotion to AVSEC Manager at Kabul International Airport, followed by a tenure with an airline in Afghanistan, where she spent five years. Lita then became the Senior AVSEC Manager at N’djili International Airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leading AVSEC operations for four years before joining ICAO.
Aaron Le Boutillier MSc, Regional Vice President (South-East Asia), ASIS International; PhD. candidate, Rangsit University; and, CEO, Le Boutillier Group, Thailand
For more than 25 years, Aaron has been involved in all aspects of disruptive passenger and in-flight security training. In 1997 he was one of the first people to run a fully comprehensive unruly passenger training package for Virgin Atlantic and has since trained more than 10,000 cabin crew from over 20 airlines. Currently, Aaron is in charge of running disruptive passenger management and inner management skills for cabin crew from one of the world’s most iconic airlines.
Aaron is also a defensive tactics instructor and has delivered programmes to law enforcement agencies and military personnel the world over, utilizing his skills as a coach in Brazilian jiu jitsu, boxing and, wing chun. He holds a Master’s in criminology, and a Master’s in Applied Neuroscience at Kings College, London, and is a Ph.D. candidate in Criminology at Rangsit University, Thailand. He is the author of the best-seller ‘And Then One Morning’, which recounts his survival of the 2004 tsunami. Aaron ran the ‘Marathon Des Sables’ across the Sahara Desert in 2015 and the ‘Coastal Challenge’ across the rain forests of Costa Rica in 2017. In 2019, Aaron received his honorary Thailand Special Forces wings for his involvement in the Chiang Rai cave rescue.
Dr. Stanislav Lifshitz, Attending Emergency Physician, Rabin Medical Centre; Biomechanics Expert, Aviation Optical and Medical Ltd. UK
Dr Stanislav Lifshitz MD is an emergency physician with broad experience in trauma management, military medicine and pre-hospital care. Combining experience of trauma with a solid grounding in physical interventions he provides bio-mechanical support to medical risk assessments of use of force interventions. He has assisted in medical and safety reviews of physical and mechanical interventions across a broad range of organisations that include children’s homes, mental health and custodial services. His knowledge and experience allow him to provide advice on physical intervention in specific vulnerable populations in care.
Magnús Brimar Magnússon, Partner, Nordic Flight Department, Iceland
Magnús Brimar Magnússon is a seasoned aviation professional from Reykjavik, Iceland, with extensive expertise in aviation security and operations management. He currently serves as a partner at the Nordic Flight Department, where he oversees company operations and customer relations.
Magnús has held prominent positions at Air Iceland Connect, World Airways Inc., and Air Atlanta Icelandic, where he was responsible for managing ground operations, security protocols, and emergency response systems. His notable security achievements include supervising the safe transportation of US Armed Forces MRAP vehicles to Afghanistan, managing the evacuation of personnel from Lebanon during a conflict, and serving as an airline advisor to Boeing. Magnús has completed specialised training in aviation security and operations. He is an active board member of several aviation-related companies and non profits.
Prof. Peter F Mahoney CBE, Consultant Anaesthetist, IFM, UK
Professor Peter Mahoney is a medical doctor working both in anaesthesiology and forensic investigation. He served with the British Military (Reserves and Active Duty) in a variety of roles including Field Hospital Director and Combat Casualty Evacuation with the Helicopter-borne Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT).
Current research projects include improving emergency services safety from knife attacks. He has worked with Krishna Godhania for around 15 years educating different professional groups in conflict de-escalation and management.
Doug Melia, Director & Training Consultant, Safer Handling, UK
Doug Melia is a use of force specialist and expert in the use and applications of soft restraints. For nearly three decades, he has been involved in the provision of professional advice and training on the management of the detained and displaced in a safe and ethical manner.
Doug has worked across a variety of challenging settings both with children and with adults. His work has taken him to Australian juvenile training centres, where the work he undertook with the forensic services in Sydney was mentioned in a coronial inquest by Justice Health. Doug trains security officers on cruise ships, staff at refugee camps, trains police, corrections trainers & psychiatric nurses.
His core business, Safer Handling, has delivered in-service training to teachers at schools and more broadly within the health services since 1999. Softcuffs, the Soft Restraint Kit and the new Safetycuff – all used within psychiatric care settings as well as by the UK’s Ministry of Justice – are trademarked and manufactured by Safer Handling.
Based in Wales, but working internationally, in his capacity as an expert witness and specialist consultant Doug provides reports in respect of inappropriate restraint and assists tribunals and courts on ‘use of force’ matters. As a public speaker, he has spoken at conferences at the Bank of America, Broadmoor hospital on behalf of the Fire Service, and the Security Industry Authority, whilst as a writer Doug has provided input to the Times Educational Supplement. Online, Doug regular publishes engaging and informative videos, in a series called ‘They Lie’, where he aims to dispel the many myths concerning restraint.
Katharine (Katie) Ng, Head of Training, OneCrew, Hong Kong SAR
Katharine (Katie) Ng, a leading specialist in Aviation Human Factors, empowers commercial, business and general aviation to prioritise safety. She heads OneCrew Aviation Training Services in training pilots, cabin crew, dispatchers, engineers, managers and leadership on essential Crew Resource Management skills, fostering a strong safety culture.
Previously, Katharine shaped Cebu Pacific Air and CEBGO human factors safety programmes and co-founded Viva Macau Airlines. Katharine’s aviation journey started as a flight attendant for Singapore Airlines and later with Cathay Pacific Airways, followed by eight years with Cathay Pacific’s Human Factors Department as a project leader.
Katharine is an advocate for aircrew mental health and psychological safety at work.
Ng Sue Chin, Assistant Manager-Technical Affairs, Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), Malaysia
Sue Chin is an aviation security professional, working with airlines and stakeholders to address operational and efficiency challenges, notably in the Asia Pacific region. She is currently responsible for running the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines’ Security Committee (SC) and the Cargo Security Working Group (CSWG) programmes.
Prior to joining AAPA, Sue Chin held an executive position in engineering with Transmile Air (now known as Raya Airways); she joined as a management trainee and was trained within the Flight Operations, Flight Planning & Aviation department for two months before positioned within the aircraft engineering spares department
Sue Chin holds a Master in Business Administration from Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, Japan. She is Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho:MEXT) Scholarship Recipient and has a Bachelor of Science honours degree from the University of Malaya.
Peter Nilsson, Police Commissioner & Head of AIRPOL, Sweden
Peter Nilsson is a Police Commissioner and Head of AIRPOL. He has extensive experience in airport security, airport policing and counterterrorism after working in an international environment for over 20 years.
AIRPOL, financed by the European Commission, is the European Network for Airport Police and Border Guard Units at European Union airports. The mission of AIRPOL is to enhance the overall security of EU airports and the broader civil aviation domain by optimising the effectiveness and efficiency of airport and aviation-related law enforcement and border guard issues, and by contributing to a more harmonised approach of enforcement. AIRPOL collaborates with a large number of law enforcement organisations globally, as well as with other important aviation-related organisations, in order to develop effective working methods.
Peter has a Law Degree (LL.M.) from the University of Uppsala and a Master’s degree in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Leeds and University of Lund.
He graduated from the Swedish Police College in 1991. After various positions both within and outside the police, he was appointed Head of Border Police which included the role of Airport Police Commander at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm, in 2005. Peter successfully managed this unit for ten years.
In 2016, Peter was awarded the International Police and Public Safety Medal by the 9/11 Award Committee at a ceremony in San Diego, US. The same year he was awarded the PPA Cross, Medal of Merit by the Estonian Ministry of Interior for services made to Estonia and the Estonian Police.
Juliana Oliveira, Cabin Crew Instructor, Be Secure, The Netherlands
With 12 years of experience as a flight attendant and as a cabin crew instructor, Juliana Oliveira is dedicated to improving work conditions, promoting mental health, and bringing out the best in aviation. Through her role, she focuses on ensuring that crewmembers are well-trained and supported. Passionate about observing, learning, and giving voice to the experiences of cabin crew, she strives to contribute to a safer and more supportive aviation industry. Juliana’s stated goal is to create an environment where every crewmember feels valued, supported, and equipped with the necessary tools to excel in their roles. By advocating for better work conditions and mental health support, she aims to enhance the overall well-being and effectiveness of the aviation community.
Thiago Pereira, Security Consultant & Master in Ving Tsun, Brazil
Thiago Pereira is a Master in Ving Tsun, a disciple of Senior Master Júlio Camacho, and has been teaching the Ving Tsun system traditionally for almost two decades.
Thiago is a member of the Leadership Committee of the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Safe Guard Group – an organisation, led by Grandmaster Leo Imamura, that is responsible for preserving the Ving Tsun tradition and developing customised training programmes for the corporate sector, including the security industry. Thiago is recognised for his dedication to the authenticity of the Ving Tsun system and his ability to adapt his teachings to the specific needs of the corporate and security environment. He has previously worked alongside Senior Master Fabio Gomes during activities with the Special Operations Forces of the Brazilian Army.
Thiago is also the leader of the internationally known website ‘Blog do Pereira’, online since 2007, dedicated to Ving Tsun.
Aleksandra Perković, Aviation Inspector, Croatian Civil Aviation Agency, Croatia
As an aviation inspector at the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency, Aleksandra Perković combines extensive aviation management experience with a strong academic background. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Faculty of Law in Osijek and is currently pursuing a PhD at the Faculty of Administration in Ljubljana.
Since starting in aviation in 1997, Aleksandra has served as a cabin crew member and senior cabin crew member and, from 2019 to 2023, as Head of the Cabin Crew Department at Croatia Airlines. In December 2023, she began her role as an aviation inspector.
Aleksandra is also an associate of the Chair of Maritime and General Transport Law at the Faculty of Law in Osijek and has published works on aviation law and safety regulations.
Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to enhancing aviation safety standards and integrating legal frameworks within the industry. Aleksandra continuously engages in professional development to stay current with industry standards and practices.
Diāna Marta Ruka, Chief Ground Instructor, AVSEC instructor, airBaltic, Latvia
As an aviation instructor with a strong background in aviation security, emergency and safety equipment, crew resource management, and dangerous goods, Diāna brings over five years’ experience to the table. Currently serving as the Chief Ground Instructor, she is dedicated to ensuring the highest level of safety and security in the aviation industry.
With a passion for educating others on the importance of proper training and procedures, Diāna is thrilled to be speaking at the upcoming aviation security conference. Join her as she shares her experience and insight gleaned from airBaltic’s aviation security measures and best practices. Diāna encourages all stakeholders to work together to create a safer and more secure future for all air travellers.
Lois Simpson, Security Training Consultant, Air New Zealand, New Zealand
Lois has lived her entire life in New Zealand but has travelled extensively. She enjoys hiking, swimming, e-biking, and being creative through drawing and painting. She lives on Waiheke Island, (a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland) where she enjoys the vineyards, beaches and harvesting fresh produce from her garden.
A qualified teacher with a Bachelor of Education, Lois began her career teaching Physical Education (PE) before transitioning to a role with the New Zealand Police, where she worked for many years, focusing on health and fitness for frontline officers. She then moved to Air New Zealand’s security team, specialising in the delivery of security training for flight and cabin crew.
Lois currently works in Air New Zealand’s ‘Group Resilience’ team, which manages risks and ensures compliance to protect people and the airline. She remains passionate about aviation security, believing that well-trained personnel are vital assets, who are crucial in crises.