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19 October 2017
 
 

Looking Up: A Recap of ISTAT EMEA

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This year marked several firsts for ISTAT's annual European visit; it was the first time the event took place in a city-centered conference center — rather than a hotel-based conference facility; it was the most highly attended European event to date with nearly 1,600 attendees; and it was the first event under the revised nomenclature "EMEA," to be more inclusive of the society's presence in the Middle Eastern and African markets.

As he greeted attendees on the first full day of activities, ISTAT President Doug Runte, head of aviation research, Deutsche Bank, noted the event's tremendous growth between ISTAT's prior trip to Scotland in 2004, which counted roughly 200 attendees — a total that pales in comparison to ISTAT EMEA's 2017 attendance.

The event featured numerous panel discussions, a spirited keynote presentation from Adam Pilarski, Ph.D., AVITAS, Inc., and updates on the ISTAT Foundation and Appraisers' Program, as well as numerous networking opportunities.

One of the overall themes to emerge from the event was the relatively positive state of the industry at present. "Right now, aviation is a basket of puppies," Pilarski noted with his typical wit. "It's all good, and we love it. Even though there is some worry in the short term, the future continues to be quite bright."

And while there is plenty to be happy about regarding the current state of the industry, there was no shortage of discussions centered around planning for an eventual industry downturn.

"Things are relatively stable now, yes, but we should intentionally prepare for downturn situations where the 'tourists' will pack up and leave," said Blair Wallace, managing director, Och-Ziff Capital Management, LLC, during the Investors Panel, and the sentiment was shared during other panels and presentations, as well.

Look for more ISTAT EMEA coverage in the winter edition of Jetrader.

Presentations and photos from ISTAT EMEA are now available via the ISTAT mobile app (for all event attendees) and the ISTAT website.

 

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