WTCE Ambassadors

Kai is a Consultant for the Haywood Partnership and founder of ExpAir, an Inflight Consulting company focusing on optimizing the onboard experience at the lowest possible cost. 

Innovation and new technological processes have always been Kai’s drivers. After obtaining a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in Germany, Kai entered the airline world in 1991. For over 18 years he held a number of management positions within the Lufthansa Group, where he built his expertise in business improvement through technological innovation. 

As a Business Development Director at LSG SkyChefs, Kai organized the first buy on board models in Latin America for airline customers. In the following years he set up a Customer Experience Organization at Sky Airline contributing to the change of business model to LCC. 

Since the creation of ExpAir in 2016, Kai has enabled the implementation of several buy on board models in Latin America.

Julianne is a pioneer in the free-from world. She was diagnosed with severe anaphylaxis at two years old, she has multiple allergies to all peanuts, treenuts, sesame, chickpeas and more.

She is the founder and CEO of Creative Nature a Top 14 allergen-free brand; at the forefront of ‘free from’ innovation and pushing the boundaries with products from baking to snacks! In recognition of her outstanding contributions to business, exports, and aiding individuals with allergies, Julianne was honoured with an MBE in the New Year's Kings Honours in 2023

Creative Nature has grown from strength to strength driving change for free-from food in the aviation industry, launching products on board Virgin Atlantic and more.

Kelly began her journey studying wine as an 18-year-old undergraduate at British Airways, with her career spanning marketing, commercial, operations and catering. In managing the portfolio of wine and beverages globally, Kelly developed a very high level of understanding of the complexities within the world of wine as well as the commercial and managerial skills required to procure best value propositions.

In 2020, after almost 21 years with the airline, Kelly created her consultancy JetVine, with the aim of supporting producers who wish to explore Global Travel Retail.

Kelly is highly qualified within the industry, including holding: a full Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, judges on global wine panels (IWSC and IWC) as well as supporting the long-standing ‘Cellars in the Sky’ awards. She recently won an educational scholarship from the InFlight Services Association (IFSA) to continue research and education in wine with specific reference to the aviation industry. 

Matt Crane is the founder of the Aviation Sustainability Forum and a Strategic Projects Lead at SATS, Asia’s largest aviation caterer and the world’s largest provider of cargo and gateway services.

A serial entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience in the aviation sector, Matt built Monty’s Bakehouse from inception to its sale to SATS in 2019 to a leading supplier of sustainably packaged snack services to many of the world’s leading airlines.

The waste and sustainability concerns of many of Monty’s Bakehouse customers and the community of suppliers that provide the world’s airlines with the unique products and services that passengers enjoy today led to the formation of the Aviation Sustainability Forum in 2019.

The Aviation Sustainability Forum is now working with IATA and leading airlines to re-set the sectors understanding of the amount and type of cabin waste aviation generates and using the data generated to develop waste recovery and circular solutions that benefit the entire sector and support IATAs campaign for International Catering Waste regulation change.

Melissa is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist, specialising in the area of travel food, nutrition and diet. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science (Food Science and Nutrition), Master of Nutrition and Dietetics, is a PhD candidate and has over 10 years’ experience working as a dietitian advising businesses and providing advice to patients.

Melissa is founder of Nutted Out Nutrition, a specialist nutrition business supporting both travellers and the travel industry through expert food and nutrition expertise. Combining frequent travel (and love of it) with professional experience in corporate nutrition, insights and analytics, communication and product development, Melissa gives unique insights into the commercial needs of the travel industry.

In addition to practical and professional experience, Melissa also works closely with academia having published multiple research papers.