Thank you to Archana Dharni, Event Director of Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), for this powerful contribution on International Women’s Day (IWD). AIX will take place on 14-16 April in Hamburg Germany.

Aviation is such an innovative and collaborative space, and fresh ideas and different viewpoints are what keep it moving forward, says Lauren Kenealy, Marketing Director at women-owned company, Tapis, which develops fabrics for the BizJet sector.

Her words capture the energy and creativity at the heart of the business jet sector, a field defined by precision, luxury, and constant evolution — and underpinned by the expertise, innovation, and leadership of many remarkable women.

With business aviation activity 10% above pre-pandemic levels and driving rapid innovation in design and comfort, it’s a sector with more momentum than ever. This is reflected at the upcoming Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) 2026, and the debut of a brand new BizJet Interiors Zone, spotlighting the technologies, materials and craftsmanship shaping VVIP, business jet and eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) cabins.

This International Women’s Day, we spoke with six women across the BizJet industry from companies attending AIX this April. In roles spanning supply chain, interiors, completions, and marketing, they told us about how they got here, the experiences that shaped their careers, and where they see business aviation heading next.

Where it all began

For most, aviation wasn’t the destination. It was an opening that appeared, and they took it.

Marika Vasilikos, Marketing and Customer Experience Manager at ALOFT, traces her industry entry back to a high school field trip. “Aviation wasn’t something I originally planned, but ALOFT had been familiar to me ever since that visit. After earning my degree, the opportunity to join a company I already knew and respected felt like the right next step.”

Susan Cannon, now a Program Manager at ALOFT, had a similar experience; a local opportunity that became a career. “At the time, it felt like a significant step,” she recalls. “I was learning a new trade while bringing skills I’d already developed to a growing organisation.

“It gave me direction and a clear path in an industry I hadn’t originally planned on entering.” What kept her there, she says, was the energy of the sector itself: “Business aviation is constantly evolving — new technology, new expectations, new challenges. There’s always another level to reach.”

For others, it was the nature of the work that made it magnetic from the start.

Jan Shields, CEO at Polystone Creations Ltd., puts it simply: “In aviation, designers and customers are always looking for something new and that is my favourite kind of work.”

Brandy Givans, Senior Manager of Material Control and Supply Chain Excellence at ALOFT, was drawn in by the daily reality of the job. “Aviation blends the ‘glamour’ of the industry with the gritty, hands-on reality of planning, procurement, and inventory control,” she says. “Every day presents a new challenge, a new problem to solve, and a new opportunity to learn.”

Sherry Cocker, Customer Support Lead at Townsend Leather, was pulled in by the interiors themselves. Townsend had been servicing the aviation market for decades when she came aboard, offering custom colour leather that gave designers real creative freedom. She explains: “I was drawn in by private jet interiors and when the opportunity came to work directly with OEM and VVIP aviation designers, I was glad to take it.”

The moments that shaped them

When asked about the pivotal experiences in their careers, there was a clear pattern: the sharpest turning points weren’t always the technical milestones. They were moments that centred around people, trust, collaboration and learning to hold a room together when things got hard.

For Cocker, that realisation came gradually, through years of working closely with the designers she serves. “Understanding their pressures and creative goals helped me see that relationships matter just as much as the products we sell,” she says. “They need to trust me as a partner to ensure the project’s success. My approach has always been to treat every order as though it were for my own interior.”

Sometimes being tested is necessary to prove to yourself. Givans points to a specific programme that tested her in ways she hadn’t anticipated. A customer request that seemed almost impossible to fulfil forced her to bridge two teams that rarely worked well together. “I found myself in the middle — facilitating discussions, aligning priorities, keeping everyone focused on the shared goal.”

Vasilikos’s formative moment came from seeing the full arc of a project for the first time — from the earliest conversations through bid iterations and into delivery. “Being part of that full journey gave me a deeper understanding of how customer experience and technical delivery align,” she says. “It shaped my perspective on partnership, adaptability, and the importance of advocating for the customer at every stage.”

Meanwhile, Cannon’s journey came full circle. After years working across the country and across organisations, she returned to where she’d started, this time as someone who could contribute not just technically, but as a leader. “There’s something special about working again with familiar faces, but with a broader understanding of the industry,” she reflects. “Being able to contribute to the development of teammates and peers has had a lasting impact on how I view leadership and collaboration.”

Belonging in the room

Breaking into business aviation can feel daunting, but the women we spoke with agree that success isn’t just about skills. Their advice to the next generation of women entering the industry was all around confidence, connection, and claiming your place.

Tapis’ Kenealy encourages women entering the industry to embrace curiosity and perspective from the start. “Aviation is such an innovative and collaborative space, and fresh ideas and different viewpoints are what keep it moving forward,” she says.

“Don’t be afraid to explore different parts of the industry, even if they feel outside your comfort zone. Sometimes the most interesting opportunities are the ones that challenge you. In my experience, the most rewarding careers in aviation often come from blending technical knowledge with creativity, communication, and collaboration”

Townsend Leather’s Cocker’s advice is grounded in the culture of the industry itself. “Be genuine, and don’t hesitate to ask questions,” she says. “Trust yourself and have confidence in the value you bring.” She also points to something often overlooked in aviation: how human it is. “It’s an industry where colleagues often become friends. Attending trade shows each year can feel almost like a family reunion.”

Givans takes a similarly practical stance. “Never apologise for wanting to understand the full picture,” she says. “The more you learn, the more confident you’ll feel making decisions that really impact the business.” But she also stresses the longer game: “Build your network early. Find mentors, allies, and other women in the industry even if they’re in different functions. Aviation is very relationship-driven.”

Shields stresses the value of tenacity: “Tenacity is important in this industry. You will learn as you go. Your efforts will be rewarded over time, so enjoy the journey. The most unexpected things, and some of the best things, could be right ahead of you.”

“Don’t ever give up on yourself,” Cannon advises. She has worked alongside women she describes as among the smartest and most capable she’s encountered in any field. “Stay curious. Continue learning. Invest in every professional connection you make, because there’s always something to gain from the people around you.”

Vasilikos echoes the same spirit: “Stay curious, take up space, and believe in the value of your perspective,” she says. “Trust that you belong in the room.”

Onwards and upwards for the BizJet sector

On the question of what comes next for business aviation, there’s no shortage of optimism about the momentum in the industry.

For Vasilikos, the most exciting shift is in smart technology. “Smart cabin technology — especially wellness and personalisation features that mirror trends in luxury travel – is rapidly influencing expectations in VVIP and business aviation,” she says. At ALOFT, that means thinking carefully about how to engineer and integrate those capabilities into both new completions and retrofit programmes.

Kenealy sees a range of innovations reshaping the sector. “More commercial-sized business jets that are really opening the opportunity to create a home in the sky. To see full showers, gyms, business rooms, bedrooms, movie theaters, and more in the sky is something that is so innovative that it will only continue to grow!

“The increase of sustainability in this market is also really interesting to see. Whether that be lighter-weight materials or SAF, the market has increased its interest in this area, which will only continue to expand. We have found that incorporating sustainable aspects into our products has helped the designer and created a new way to market to their customers.

Jan Shields echoes the sentiment “Sustainability is always a key factor, and I’m excited that the industry is genuinely looking into those options.”

Givans reflects on the supply chain implications: “The BizJet sector is getting smarter, greener, and more customised — and the supply chain has to evolve with it. These innovations push supply chain teams to be more strategic, more data-driven, and much more tightly integrated with aircraft design, maintenance, and customer expectations than ever before.”

Sticking the landing

Business aviation has never stood still and neither have the women building careers within it. What comes through in every conversation is that the qualities that make someone successful here are the same regardless of where they sit in the organisation: curiosity, tenacity, a willingness to keep learning, and an understanding that relationships are the foundation everything else is built on. Kenealy concludes “There’s absolutely space for the next generation of women to help shape the future of flight, and I think that’s a really exciting thing to be part of.”

Women in BizJet aren’t waiting for a seat at the table, they’re already in the room, shaping what comes next.

Visit the BizJet Interiors Zone at the 25th edition of Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), taking place at the Hamburg Messe, Germany, from 14–16 April 2026. Register to attend AIX here: Tickets | Aircraft Interiors Expo

About the author:

Archana Dharni serves as Event Director of AIX. In this role, Archana works to cement AIX and Passenger Experience Conference (PEC)’s long-term status as the most important event in the aircraft interiors and passenger experience calendar

About AIX:

The Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) is the world’s leading marketplace for airlines and the supply chain to meet. We bring the whole industry together so you can explore and source the latest products, find practical solutions, collaborate and build relationships with the right people, find the best products to enhance your cabin interiors, and discover those hidden gems to create the ultimate cabin and passenger experience.

Featured image credited to ALOFT AeroArchitects. First embedded image credited to Gulfstream