Hogan, Rigney, and Kondić Headline Aviation Africa 2025 with Focus on Airline Restructuring
AVAF25 Summit in Kigali to highlight African airlines governance reform and regional transformation
James Hogan will return to the public aviation stage at the Aviation Africa 2025 Summit, set for September 4–5 at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC).
Now helming UAE-based investment firm Knighthood Capital—the former Etihad Aviation Group President (2005–2017) joins the speaker lineup alongside former Etihad CFO James Rigney and former Air Serbia CEO Dane Kondić.
Hogan and Rigney are currently advising LAM Mozambique Airlines on a shareholder-led restructuring, as outlined in the Summit briefing.
The engagement includes reviewing fleet procurement, corporate governance, and restoring operational resilience after a prolonged period of financial strain, management turnover, and grounded aircraft.
“They have all experienced the highs and lows of the airline business, but have great insight, and the LAM project will be of great interest,” remarks Summit Chairman Alan Peaford. The 9th edition of the summit is expected to explore how leadership experiences can inform airline transformation across Africa.
Knighthood Capital—launched post-Etihad with a growing portfolio in aviation finance—was appointed by the Mozambican government to guide LAM through a new strategic phase.
The Kigali-based forum will feature a panel where Kondić, known for navigating Air Serbia through its growth years, will join Hogan and Rigney in discussing practical realities of restructuring legacy carriers in complex markets.
Peaford notes that the speakers bring decades of high-impact operational experience across the Gulf, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
This marks the ninth edition of the Aviation Africa Summit, organised by Times Aerospace Events Ltd, with prior editions hosted in Nigeria, Rwanda, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, and the UAE.