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.
