THE AIRWAYS AVIATION GROUP

Romy Hawatt is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Airways Aviation Group and a globally recognised entrepreneur, known for driving innovation and transforming early-stage and underperforming ventures into successful, high-impact enterprises. With a diverse background spanning aviation, education, property, and international trade, he brings decades of global experience to the development of sustainable, forward-thinking business models.

In 2014, Romy established the Airways Aviation Group, drawing on his extensive leadership experience to create a unique and globally connected aviation education and training network. Today, the organisation operates across multiple regions, offering accredited training for commercial and military pilots, cabin crew, and other aviation professionals.

Prior to founding Airways Aviation, Romy served as CEO of SAE Institute (2003–2014) and Chair of its Governing Council. He played a pivotal role in positioning SAE as the world’s largest creative and digital media educator, and led its successful acquisition by global education provider Navitas in 2011.

Beyond business, Romy is a dedicated philanthropist with a strong commitment to global development. Through his Dubai-based private enterprise, Riana Group (rianagroup.com), he supports a range of humanitarian initiatives across water access, education, refugee welfare, and orphanage projects.

He is a Founding Member of the Global Sustainability Network (GSN) (gsngoal8.com), a coalition of over 1,300 global leaders committed to advancing Goal 8 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—promoting decent work and economic growth. Romy has also collaborated with Inter Press Service (IPS) to raise awareness of modern slavery, human trafficking, organ trafficking, and child labour through editorial partnerships and advocacy campaigns.

His involvement extends to numerous global initiatives, including:

• Football for Peace (footballforpeaceglobal.org) – Director, under the patronage of HRH Prince William, The Prince of Wales
• Charidy (charidy.com) – Advisory Board Member; supporting global NGOs through major fundraising efforts
• Help Children Now (helpchildrennow.co.uk) – Sponsor
• Goodwill Caravan (goodwillcaravan.com) – Sponsor
• Human Thread Foundation (humanthreadfoundation.org) – Advisor

Romy continues to be a driving force in aviation education, championing access to high-quality training and building opportunities for the next generation of aviation professionals around the world.

Mauro Calvano is an accomplished aviation executive with over four decades of international experience across airline operations, aviation management, training, and strategic consultancy. Beginning his career as an airline pilot in the 1980s, Mauro flew a wide range of aircraft—from wide-body jets to seaplanes—and served as a long-haul Captain for Lauda Air on the Boeing 767, gaining extensive global flying and flight training expertise.

A graduate in Airline Management from City University London, Mauro transitioned into executive leadership in the mid-1990s. He founded Magister Ludi Aviation in Milan, a consultancy firm specialising in aviation strategy and training, and advising a global network of aviation stakeholders.

His early executive appointments included roles with Lauda Air, followed by senior leadership positions across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He has served as CEO and General Manager of several airlines, including Alpi Eagles and Eagles Airlines (Venice, Italy), Flygtransporter (Sweden), Aqua Airlines (Italy), and Nova Airways (Dubai and Sudan).

Mauro has also managed critical humanitarian flight operations under United Nations contracts, further expanding his operational and leadership credentials in complex, high-stakes environments.

A recognised pioneer in modern seaplane aviation, Mauro led the certification and launch of Aqua Airlines—Italy’s first commercial seaplane airline since the 1930s—opening new air routes across the Mediterranean and contributing significantly to the regulatory framework for seaplane transport in Europe.

Over the course of his career, he has provided strategic counsel to governments, aviation authorities, and institutions on regulatory policy, training, and infrastructure development. He has also led EU-funded initiatives focused on sustainable air transport and aviation education.

Today, as Group CEO and Board Member of Airways Aviation Group, Mauro Calvano drives the organisation’s global growth and strategic direction. Under his leadership, Airways Aviation continues to deliver world-class aviation education and training across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Australia—fostering innovation, operational excellence, and industry-leading safety standards.

Alexandre Alves is an experienced C-level executive and aviation strategist with an international track record spanning over 25 years. As Group Chief Commercial Officer and CEO of Airways Aviation Nordic and Portugal, he plays a key role in driving commercial growth, strategic partnerships, and operational leadership across multiple regions.

A Portuguese national, Alexandre has held management and advisory roles in aviation-related companies across Portugal, Spain, France, Finland, the UAE, and beyond. His cross-industry experience includes aviation, FMCG, hospitality, rail services, trading, real estate investment, agriculture, and industrial maintenance. This breadth of expertise has made him a sought-after consultant and advisor to individuals, companies, and governments seeking turnkey solutions to complex operational challenges.

Alexandre began his career as a special forces officer in the Portuguese Army—an experience that laid the foundation for his resilience, strategic thinking, and team leadership. Since then, he has built a career as an entrepreneur, senior executive, consultant, and mentor, having lived and worked in eight countries across three continents.

He holds a degree in International Relations from Universidade Internacional, along with executive education qualifications from Universidade Católica Portuguesa and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In addition, he has completed numerous aviation technical, military, and security training programmes.

Fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish—with working proficiency in French, Italian, and Cape Verdean Creole—Alexandre brings a truly global perspective to his leadership. He is a founding member of Instituto Mais Liberdade, a Portuguese non-profit focused on financial literacy and social and economic development. He is also an advocate for education and environmental protection, supporting initiatives in Portugal, Cape Verde, and Mozambique.

With core expertise in operations, sales, marketing, and strategy, Alexandre considers himself, above all, a team leader—capable of rallying people around a shared vision and delivering measurable results.

Janet Dalby is a seasoned executive and board member, specialising in transformation, change management, and strategic growth. As Chief Operating Officer of the Airways Aviation Group and CEO for the Australasia & Pacific region, she leads business expansion, operational excellence, and innovation across the organisation’s global aviation training operations.

With extensive experience spanning aviation, private equity, education, ICT, construction, and government sectors, Janet has successfully led high-impact digital transformations, mergers and acquisitions, and leadership development initiatives. Her expertise in business transformation is supported by a high-distinction major in transformation and change management.

Janet is passionate about shaping the future of aviation and advancing inclusive leadership. She is committed to driving sustainable growth and fostering innovation throughout the industry.