Airport Innovation Roundtable 2025
AIR 2025
Date and Location:
Conference Center at the Prague Airport on 11-12.06.2025
The event provides a platform for V4+ and European countries to exchange ideas and explore trends shaping the future of aviation.
The conference gathers policymakers, aviation industry leaders, researchers, and innovators from the V4+ region. Discussions focus on operations in aviation comprising regional collaboration, digital transformation, and enhancing air connectivity.
Key Highlights:
Keynotes from V4+ aviation and tech leaders.
Panel discussions on regional cooperation in aviation innovation and infrastructure development.
Presenting new solutions and technologies for aviation leading to constant growth and long-term cost reduction for aviation industry in the region.
Networking sessions to promote cross-border partnerships within the region.
Air2025 establishes a shared vision for advancing aviation innovation across European countries and strengthens ties among participants for future collaboration. AIR 2025 presents an unparalleled opportunity to exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and learn about innovations driving our industry. This year we are organizing the conference with the Central and Eastern European Travel Retail Association – CEETRA – which will drive a parallel panel discussion on topics of duty-free and travel retail industry in Europe.
Frame Schedule:
11.06.2025
17:00-19:00 Prague Airport Tour
20:00-22:00 Welcome Reception
12.06.2025
08:00-09:00 Registartion and networking
09:00-09:30 Opening Ceremony
09:30-16:45 AIR conference
19:00-23:00 Gala Dinner
Why Attend?
• Be part of critical discussions shaping the future of V4+ airports and the aviation ecosystem.
• Network with high-level executives, government officials, and industry innovators.
• Gain exclusive insights into trends, challenges, and opportunities in the sector.
Conference fee (includes Welcome reception, Prague Airport Tour and conference participation): 239,00 EURO
Participation in the event is free of charge for V4+ and CEETRA members. (The Gala Dinner is to be payed separately)
Gala Dinner: 200,00 EURO
After registering, we will send you an invoice with our bank account details and wire instructions.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us: air@v4plus.org
Preliminary Agenda
TIME |
11.06.2025 | |
17:00-19:00 | Prague Airport Tour | |
20:00-22:00 |
Welcome Reception with food and drinks – free for every participant |
.
TIME |
12.06.2025 | |
08:30 – 09:00 | Registration and networking | |
09:00 – 09:30 | Opening ceremony & Polish Tourism Organisation presentation | |
09:30 – 09:55 | From Fiction to Flow – The Intelligent Airport (Amanda Khuong-Duc, Head of Vision Hub, Gharage) |
|
09:55 – 10:35 | Atrificial Intelligence – what has changed in airport managment (Panel discussion) | |
10:35 – 10:50 | European Policy and commercial impact (Julie Lassaigne, Secretary General ETRC) | |
10:50 – 11:15 | Duty Free as a safe trading channel (Ricardo Ricardo Oliveira, Senior Counsel, ETRC Tobacco Working Group) | |
11:15 – 11:45 | Coffee break | |
11:45 – 12:25 | APOC – total airport management (fast talk) | |
12:25 – 12:40 | Maximizing passenger experience with Uber (Marcin Moczyróg, Director and General Manager for Central and Eastern Europe at Uber) |
|
12:40 – 13:05 | Prague Airport transformation in Retail (František Kachlík, Executive Director of Commercial Activites to represent Prague Airport) | |
13:05 – 13:30 | AIR Insight: Innovation and trends in self-service & baggage (Aleksandr Lichy, senior product manager, SITA) | |
13:30 – 14:15 | Lunch Break | |
– | Hall A – technical, operations and safety | Hall B – Travel retail and passenger experience |
14:15 – 15:10 |
Air Cargo prospects at Central European airports amid rapid changes in global trade Remote Tower and Remote Apron Technologies – The Future of Airport Operations Management (Piotr Rotmański, COO Olsztyn Airport) |
Passenger behavior trends in CEE – new ideas for the travel retail market (Anna Marchesini, Head of Business Development, m1ndset) How to create the new commercial and F&B offer to attract new passenger profile (Richard Prochazka, Lagardere Travel Retail Czech Republic) |
15:10 – 16:00 |
Predicting the future – master planning in fast changing world Bartłomiej Czerkowski, Aerodrome Safety Challenges: Insights from Occurrence |
Breaking the rules – A Czech liquor brand is redefining airport shopping experience (Sardor Varisov, EUPHORIA) Experiential Retail – a driver behind passenger spending (Anna Marchesini, Head of Business Development) |
16:00 – 16:50 |
C-UAS – new risks in managing critical infrastructure and ensuring business continuity Robert Boroch, Aerospace Industries |
Reshaping cooperation between tourism and aviation Pavel Trojan, Polish Tourism Organisation, Prague Office, Presentation |
19:00-23:00 |
Gala dinner |
Speakers

Mihai Patrascu
Satu Mare Airport

Stanislaw Wojtera
V4+ Airports

Julie Lassaigne
ETRC Secretary General

N. Murat Destek
ACI

Anna Marchesini
M1nd-set

Aleksandr Lichy
SITA

Marcin Osowski
V4+ Airports

Andrzej Miłaszewicz
CEETRA

Anca Apahidean
IATA

Natalia Roj
Hammad Int. Airport

Jiří Pos
Prague Airport

Ricardo Oliveira
ETRC

Michal Kořan
GARI

Amanda Khuong-Duc
Gharage

Michał Witkowski
Tirana Int. Airport

Eugene Leeman
ACI Europe

Richard Procházka
Lagardère Travel Retail

Sardor Varisov
Euphoria

Marcin Moczyróg
Uber

Piervittorio Farabbi
Tirana Int. Airport
The list of speakers will be updated soon
for our guests
Welcome Reception with food and drinks
It is a chance to catch-up with friends, meet new people, make connections, and discuss the days sessions, testing ideas and finding new insights with great company. Free for every participant.
Prague Airport Tour
This activity is free of extra charge – just sign up in advance while registering for the event. We’d love to see you there!
Gala Dinner
As the Airport Innovation Roundtable 2025 finishes, we are honored to invite you to a distinguished Final Gala Dinner, hosted at the renowned Flyvista (flyvista.cz) Restaurant. This elegant evening will serve as a memorable conclusion to our time together — a celebration of collaboration, forward-thinking, and shared vision for the future of global aviation.
Join us for a hospitable evening, where innovation meets ambiance in an extraordinary dining experience. Guests are invited to an exquisitely arranged dining space along with a terrace with panoramic view of Prague City.
Enjoy a specially curated multi-course tasting menu, showcasing seasonal ingredients and modern European cuisine, complemented by a selection of fine wines and signature cocktails.
This final gathering is designed to honor the connections made and ideas shared throughout the Roundtable. We invite you to relax, reflect, and enjoy a night of exceptional hospitality as we toast to innovation and the future of the airport industry.
Participation in the event is free of charge for V4+ and CEETRA members.
Conference fee (includes Welcome reception, Prague Airport Tour and conference participation): 239,00 EURO
Gala Dinner: 200,00 EURO
After registering, we will send you an invoice with our bank account details and wire instructions.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us: air@v4plus.org
Number of participants is limited.
General Partner
About SITA
SITA is the air transport industry’s IT provider, delivering solutions for airlines, airports, aircraft and governments. Our technology powers more seamless, safe, secure, and sustainable air travel.
With around 2,500 customers, SITA’s solutions drive operational efficiencies at more than 1,000 airports while delivering the promise of the connected aircraft to customers of over 18,000 aircraft globally. SITA also provides technology solutions that help more than 70 governments strike the balance of secure borders and seamless travel. Its communications network connects every corner of the globe, and SITA bridges 45% of the air transport community’s data exchange.
In 2023, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved SITA’s near-term and long-term emission reduction targets. These science-based targets are pivotal in guiding the company’s climate actions to curtail greenhouse gas emissions effectively. SITA is also developing solutions to help the aviation industry meet its carbon reduction objectives, including reduced fuel burn and greater operational efficiencies.
In 2024, SITA acquired Materna IPS, leader in passenger handling, to create the world’s most powerful passenger portfolio for airports and digital travel. SITA then acquired ASISTIM, to offer a fully-fledged airline flight Operations Control Center managed service. The company also launched SmartSea to give the maritime industry access to the same advanced technology that is transforming air travel. The launch comes as part of SITA’s growth into cruise and rail, as well Urban Air Mobility, such as Vertiports.
SITA is 100% owned by the industry and driven by its needs. It is one of the most internationally diverse companies, providing services in over 200 countries and territories.
Go to www.sita.aero or www.sita.aero/lotniska/ for more information.

Stanislaw Wojtera
Polish Airports / V4+ Airports
Opening Ceremony
Stanislaw Wojtera, President of V4+ Association. Manager with 20 years of professional experience. Expert and academic lecturer. Associated with the aviation industry since 2013. Former President of ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise and representative for the board of Solidarity Transport Hub for Chopin Airport infrastructure. He held managerial positions in PKO BP Group, PHO and PZL Świdnik, among other companies, as well as in the Polish Tourism Organization.
For many years he has held positions in supervisory bodies of capital companies. His professional experience is complemented by his education at the University of Warsaw’s Faculty of Journalism and Political Science, and he also holds a Master of Business Administration degree.

Mihai Patrascu is General Manager of Satu Mare International Airport since 2018. Between 2009-2015 he was General Manager of Baia Mare Airport. He holds 4 university degrees out of which an MBA in Aviation from Donau University Krems, Austria. He published 9 books and speaks 7 languages, being an ice-breaker in many fields (European Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Aviation etc). He is the first Romanian that opened up a representative office of a Romanian region in Brussels, in 2005.

JULIE LASSAIGNE, Secretary General, European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC)
Julie Lassaigne became Secretary General of ETRC, the trade association representing the European Duty Free and Travel Retail channel, in February 2019.
In this role, she manages and represents the organisation both externally and towards its members. Julie first joined ETRC in 2013 where she was responsible for managing some of the key challenges affecting the duty free and travel retail sector including product information to consumers, alcohol policy, air passenger rights and transport security.
Prior to joining ETRC, Julie gained extensive experience working for public affairs consultancies in Brussels with clients in the aviation, food and sport sectors. A French national, Julie holds a double Master degree in Governance of Organisations and Public Affairs & Representation of Interests from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques of Bordeaux.
Julie received the Frontier award for Outstanding Contribution to the travel retail industry in 2022 and was nominated among People of the Year by the Moodie Davitt Report in 2024.

N.Murat Destek
Sr.Advisor Toruz Systems (ACI Africa Fr.Board Member)
N.Murat Destek currently serves at Toruz systems,a London based Aviation-AI provider.He holds an MBA and also university degree on Aviation Management. Mr.Destek has 24 years of diverse experience,having worked in leadership roles on airport & ground handling & airline management along with international companies including TAV,IGA,Summa,Celebi,Pegasus and Astaldi. He ran an airport and a ground handling JV in West Africa recently where he was also elected to the board of directors of ACI Africa in 2022. He successfully spearheaded ORAT project of Istanbul New Airport APOC previously where the airport earned international accolades, becoming a global benchmark in innovation.He also contributed to the foundation of new international terminal at Bodrum Airport. His expertise vary from airport PPP to ORAT including safety & training management and integration of smart technologies.

Anna Marchesini is Head of Business Development at m1nd-set. She works with various global key accounts across all categories in the area of duty free & travel retail, and is also involved in m1nd-set’s consultancy work and manages the company’s marketing and press activities.
Anna holds an MSc in Management, with specialization in marketing, from the prestigious HEC Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland. She previously worked on various marketing projects for different communication agencies in Germany.
Anna is of Italian origin, and also speaks English, German and Spanish.

Alexandr Lichy works as a Senior Product Manager at SITA. His expertise in baggage portfolio is focused on reconciliation and tracking applications.
Total 19 years experience in the Air Travel IT, while 17 of them with SITA in various positions revolving around pre-sales and product management. This included relocations to London as product manager at Heathrow IT Outsourcing team and to Atlanta as solution designer in the SITA AMER team.
Last 7 years focusing on the baggage products, helping our Customers optimizing their operations through efficient use of smart technology.
As a background, Alex holds a Masters degree in Air Traffic from the Brno University of Technology and Certified Product Manager credential from AIPMM.
www.linkedin.com/in/alex-lichy

Marcin Osowski
V4+ Airports
Graduate of Executive MBA at the Institute of Economic Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences and postgraduate studies in Foreign Trade at the University of Gdansk. Experienced manager in both maritime and aviation logistics industry. 2021-2024 he has held the position of Vice President at Welcome Airport Services sp. z o.o., where he was primarily responsible for overseeing the cargo segment, among other duties. As a co-creator of the innovative concept of using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for commercial cargo transportation, he played a crucial role in the establishment and registration of Welcome Cargo UAV Airlines by the CAA.

Andrzej Miłaszewicz
Central and East European Travel Retail Association. (CEETRA)
Andrzej Miłaszewicz- Managing Director Operations & Development , Chairman of Central and East European Travel Retail Association. (CEETRA)
30 years’ experience in Retail, 15 years in Lagardere Travel Retail Poland. Managing operations and development of all formats of stores at the Airports, Railways, Metro, Malls and City.
Before for 14 years CEO Lagardere Duty Free in Poland. As a Board Member and now since 2 years as a Chairman of CEETRA, takes an active role in supporting travel retail industry in the Region, by enhancing its share of voice on the relevant forums.
He started his professional career in FMCG in big distribution, being the part of the management team in Carrefour Poland.
Education: master degree of Warsaw School of Economy (SGH)

Anca Apahidean
IATA
Anca Apahidean has 30 years of Aviation experience involving Aircraft Construction, Technical Operations, Customer Service and Relationship Management, Sales & Business Development, as well as Global industry affairs and Financial distribution systems, gained in numerous roles in the airline sector. She is trained as an Aircraft Engineer with advanced studies in Corporate Governance and Sustainability, Aviation Project Management, Sales and Business Administration, Strategic Thinking, and International Relations.
Since November 2010, Anca has been Area Manager Eastern Europe, managing all IATA activities in the region, working closely with governments, airport authorities, ANSPs, member airlines, and other industry stakeholders. Between 2008 and 2010, Anca has been part of IATAs Simplifying the Business team as Program Manager Eastern Europe, Russia & CIS, managing the transition to 100% electronic ticketing and automated passenger processes.
Before joining IATA in 2006 as Country Manager Romania and Moldova, Anca worked for 10 years in the British Airways office in Bucharest as Customer Services at the Airport, Finance Executive, Account Manager for Travel Agents, Town office Supervisor, and Commercial Executive. Before British Airways, she was a Flight Attendant Instructor and accredited Romanian Civil Aviation Authority Cabin Safety Inspector, providing ground and in-flight training for flight attendants.

Natalia Roj
HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Natalia is an aviation enthusiast and a frequent traveller, her industry experience relates to airports in all areas of capital project lifecycle, from planning, designing, constructing, handing-over to operating.
Natalia is currently working in the Middle East on an airport expansion programme that includes a variety of facilities, such as Passenger Terminal, Cargo Terminal, Utilities and Airfield Infrastructure. She is engaged in the design, delivery, handover and closeout of these projects, ensuring processes standardisation, continuous improvement and benefits realisation.

Jiří Pos
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Jiří Pos was elected as a Chairman of the Board of Directors on 30th August 2021. He has returned to Prague Airport after seven years. He joined Prague Airport in 2006 and was Chairman of the Board of Directors and its CEO from 2011 to 2014. From 2014 to 2015, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Czech Aeroholding. After leaving, he developed his private business activities, mainly in the field of civil aviation and tourism. From 2019 to 2021, he also served as Managing Director of Karlovy Vary Airport. He started his career in aviation in 1986 at Czech Airlines, where he worked for twenty years. He worked abroad for the Czech carrier from 1994 to 2001 and was Vice President for Ground Operations from 2003 to 2006. He graduated from the Czech Technical University in Prague with a degree in economics of aircraft manufacturing from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

A Portuguese and Brazilian national, Ricardo Oliveira is an experienced general counsel and consultant specialised in corporate and public affairs, including strategic engagement and campaigning on regulatory matters. His background is in Law and Engineering. Ricardo is also an accredited mediator with the Centre of Effective Dispute Resolution (CeDR) in London. Previously he worked for multinational companies as general counsel including in IBM and BAT, and as an engineer in a Telecom company in his native Brazil. He has an extensive international profile having lived and studied or worked in 5 different countries and can speak six languages.

Michal Kořan is Founder and President of the Board of the Global Arena
Research Institute and an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social
Sciences, Masaryk University, where he earned his Ph.D. in 2008. His
work spans globalization, global trade, technology, security. Merging
his passion for aviation and professional interest, he also focuses on
understanding and analyzing the impact of global trends on the aviation
industry.
Previously, he served as Deputy Executive Director of the Aspen
Institute Central Europe and, for more than a decade, held senior
research and leadership roles at the Institute of International
Relations in Prague. He has coordinated the Think Visegrad platform, led
several strategic Visegrad Fund projects, and was the principal author
of the annual _Czech Foreign Policy_ review.
A Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Harvard University’s Weatherhead
Center for International Affairs, Dr Kořan has published with Palgrave,
Routledge, Rowman & Littlefield, and in journals such as _European
Security_ and _Journal of International Relations and Development_.
Beyond academia, he is a commercial-rated pilot and certified flight
instructor.

Amanda Khuong-Duc
Amanda works as a futurist and strategist at Gharage, Gebr. Heinemann’s vision and ventures hub, with the mission of bringing back the magic of travel to the journey.
Thanks to her international academic background in business, economics, and sociology, and her vast experience working in multinational corporations and as a strategy consultant for retail, consumer goods, and mobility, Amanda provides a broad and traveler-centered perspective on the future of travel.
She is passionate about investigating potential futures in her work and turning them into actionable, impactful strategies and concepts – always through the lens of human insights.

Michał Witkowski is an experienced aviation specialist with over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry, with a strong background in managing aviation operations (FDL license). He has worked as a subcontractor for airlines such as White Eagle, Jet Service, and JetAir, serving in the role of flight dispatcher. His responsibilities included providing services to air carriers in flight planning, overseeing flight networks, and coordinating operational activities.
He possesses over 10 years of experience in ground handling, covering passenger services, flight coordination, and both operational and administrative support for flight crews. Over the course of his career, he also served as an aviation oversight inspector, supervising the safety of air transport operations in commercial aviation.
In the field of public-use airports, he held positions such as Safety Management System (SMS) Manager, Chief Operating Officer, and Deputy Director of Chopin Airport in Warsaw. He also served as Vice President for Operational Standards at the Civil Aviation Authority, where he oversaw, among other areas, the airport department.
Currently he holds the office of the Airport Operations Director at Tirana International Airport. He also conducts academic courses at Lazarski University for students specializing in aviation through the Lazarski Aviation Academy.
Career Highlights:
– Coordinated the construction and expansion of airport infrastructure, including project development for the Solidarity Transport Hub (Centralny Port Komunikacyjny).
– Managed operations and ensured safety at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, one of the largest airports in Central and Eastern Europe (including the creation and leadership of the NATO Support Center during the NATO Summit in Warsaw, 2016).
– Co-developed aviation strategies and procedures.
– Planned infrastructure for the relocation of a military air base to the future Solidarity Transport Hub.
Thanks to his unique combination of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and hands-on experience, he provides comprehensive consultancy services in airport management, aviation safety, and infrastructure planning and development.
He holds an MBA degree and a Master’s degree in Political Science, along with postgraduate studies in safety management. He is a certified aviation safety inspector (ICAO).
With his extensive experience and deep passion for aviation, he supports organizations in achieving the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and service quality within the aviation sector.

Eugène Leeman joined ACI EUROPE in February 2018, taking up the role of Liaison Officer to EUROCONTROL (European ATC Network Manager). In this capacity, his focus was collaboration between airports and the Network Manager. Familiar with topics like Airport Operations Plan (AOP), Airport Operations Center (APOC), drones and sustainable taxi for which he was involved in developing concepts of operations.
In January 2023, he became Senior Advisor of Operations (part-time)
Prior to joining ACI EUROPE, Eugène held a number of roles within Royal Schiphol Group and Aéroports de Paris, securing an array of achievements in optimisation of airport operations, implementation of EASA regulations and adoption of A-CDM.
Eugène holds a Bachelor of Maritime Operations from Maritime Academy in Amsterdam. Before he ventured into aviation industry, he had spent 10 years working as Merchant Navy Officer, sailing worldwide with different ship types and companies.
A Dutch national, Eugène speaks fluent English, and has a working knowledge of French and German. In his spare time, he is a General Aviation Pilot with more than 1600 hours’ experience. When not taking to the skies, he enjoys regatta-sailing, windsurfing, photography and travel.

Richard Procházka is the CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail Czech Republic, a position he has held since 2019. He joined the company in 2006 and previously served as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing operations, development, logistics, and HR, and leading the company’s expansion into food service and duty free. Richard played a key role in numerous acquisitions and integration projects, and has driven the company’s growth in Slovakia. A graduate of the University of Economics in Prague, he is known for championing local products, sustainability, and innovative retail concepts. Under his leadership, Lagardère Travel Retail operates over 350 stores and is recognized for its modern, customer-focused approach, blending global expertise with strong local teams and partnerships

Sardor Varisov is a driven entrepreneur and co-founder of Euphoria, one of Europe’s largest producers of cannabis products. He moved to the Czech Republic at the age of 20 with just a few dollars in his pocket, no connections and a dream. In 2012, together with Eva Hill, he launched Euphoria with an initial investment of only €2,000.Without outside investors or bank loans—just hard work and a strong team—he built the company into a global brand with over 800 original products, exports to more than 40 countries, and an annual turnover of over €6 million. Euphoria’s products have been a long-time success at Prague Airport and are now sold worldwide.As the cannabis industry continues to grow, Sardor’s ambition is to take the company to 9-figure revenues and eventually go public. His story is one of persistence, bold vision, and starting from nothing to build something remarkable.

Marcin Moczyróg, Director and General Manager for Central and Eastern
Europe at Uber, where he oversees the company’s operations across ten
countries in the region. With extensive experience in leading
multifunctional teams, Marcin has previously held key roles at A.T.
Kearney bringing a broad perspective on innovation, digital
transformation, and operational excellence to the mobility and
transportation sector. Under his leadership, Uber has become a key
player in shaping the future of urban mobility in CEE, driving
initiatives in sustainable transport, digitalization, and economic
collaboration. He graduated in Applied Computer Science from Warsaw
University of Technology, Web Technologies at Oxford Brookes University
and Leadership Psychology at WUT Business School.

Piervittorio Farabbi is the COO of Tirana International Airport (TIA), the fastest growing airport in Europe in 2024 (source ACI Europe). At TIA, supported by a professional and diverse team, he oversees airport operations, facility management and infrastructure development, with a key focus on stakeholder management and passenger experience.
Prior to returning to Europe to take on Director General / Accountable Manager roles at EASA-certified aerodromes, Piervittorio was on staff at IATA, as its worldwide manager for CNS/ATM consulting initiatives. In this role, he had the opportunity to oversee project implementations in South and Central America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. During his tenure at the Landrum & Brown office in Chicago, he was part of its technical consulting team, with projects ranging from capex programs to airport privatizations to facility planning.
An Italian native, Mr. Farabbi completed a post-graduate degree in Aerospace Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. In addition, he attended the Master in Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Daytona, Florida