ISTAT Jetrader - Summer 2020 - 10

NEWS & EVENTS

ISTAT Welcomes New Executive
Director Guilherme Lopes
What is your background? How did you
get involved in aviation?
I was born and raised in Brazil, so
Portuguese is my mother tongue. I also
speak Spanish, which I learned much
later in life while living in Florida. I
came to the United States in my early
20s as part of an exchange program
to learn English. As a typical Brazilian,
I was a very talented soccer player,
so a few universities approached
PHOTO HERE?
me with scholarship offers. Luckily,
I chose Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University (ERAU), where I majored in
aviation business. ERAU changed my life,
and I will be forever grateful for the support
I received from my coaches, professors and
colleagues. After graduating, I returned to Brazil
where I did my master's in project management
and started my career in the nonprofit sector at the
Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA), a global association with
more than 200,000 members in 175 countries. In Brazil, I served as the executive
director for a few years before being transferred to The IIA's global headquarters
in Florida where I managed a large network of international offices and led the
creation of several global products and services. During my tenure at The IIA, I

Destiny presented me with the opportunity to join ISTAT,
and I couldn't be more excited to finally combine my passion
for aviation with my expertise in the nonprofit sector.
had the pleasure to visit dozens of countries and meet thousands of incredible
volunteers. Destiny presented me with the opportunity to join ISTAT, and I couldn't
be more excited to finally combine my passion for aviation with my expertise in the
nonprofit sector.
What is your goal as ISTAT's executive director?
ISTAT's growth over the last 10 years has been nothing short of amazing. My main goal
is to keep supporting the board of directors, the volunteers from different committees
and staff so ISTAT can continue providing its members with the highest quality and
best-value networking and education opportunities in commercial aviation. ISTAT is a
global association, and I intend to use my experience in global markets to further our
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presence worldwide, especially in Asia
and emerging markets in Latin America.
Education has also been a topic of
great interest for ISTAT's leadership.
Besides overseeing the launch and
expansion of the ISTAT Professional
Development Program (ISTAT PDP), I
intend to work on a series of virtual
offerings to serve all our stakeholders,
from students to highly experienced
players in commercial aviation. Lastly,
I'm a big supporter of the work done
by our Foundation. I want to support its
growth so aviation can keep playing an
instrumental role in humanitarian aid
and other students can have the same
opportunities I did many years ago.
What interests you/excites you
about the industry right now?
These are tough times. It's difficult to
feel excited when this global pandemic
has affected the lives of so many
friends in our industry. The coronavirus
outbreak has upended commercial
aviation, with consequences that are
not yet fully realized. Nevertheless, I
continue to be in awe of and inspired
by the strength and benevolence of
our members. Amid the crisis, we
have heard of and read about amazing
stories of how aviation has played a
key role in combating the spread of
COVID-19.
At ISTAT, our focus has been on
supporting our members during this
economic hardship. Our board has
recently provided the ISTAT Foundation
with an additional US$500,000 to
be utilized in COVID-19 relief efforts.
Additionally, we are expanding our
Members Between Jobs initiative
to provide a service to longstanding members who may be in
temporary need.
ISTAT Jetrader - Summer 2020

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