Athar Husain Khan's contributions to the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) as secretary general will be remembered for years to come, business aviation leaders told AIN. As a dedicated and charismatic leader of the EBAA secretariat from July 2018 until his death on March 26 at age 60, Husain Khan played a pivotal role in strengthening the association's position in the aviation industry.

“Athar always put the human element first and steered the industry in the right direction during challenging times,” said EBAA chairman Juergen Wiese.

One of Husain Khan’s significant achievements was strengthening EBAA's relationship with European Union institutions, Wiese added. He worked tirelessly to improve the association's representation and advocacy efforts, resulting in the EBAA's increased influence in shaping EU policies on aviation. His extensive experience in aero-political affairs proved to be particularly valuable in this regard.

“Athar brought to EBAA a thorough understanding of European policy-making and the importance of a more consensual and proactive approach to advocacy towards the EU institutions,” asserted Filip Cornelis, director of aviation at the European Commission’s directorate-general for Mobility and Transport (DG Move). “As a result, he delivered a bigger presence in the public debates and better public understanding than ever before of the role of business aviation in ensuring connectivity, not least during the Covid pandemic.”

Husain Khan recognized that sustainable practices were critical to the industry's long-term viability. “Athar understood, and convinced his members, that business aviation must embrace greening like no other if it wants to maintain its license to serve its customers,” noted DG Move’s head of unit aviation policy, Flor Diaz-Pulido. She said the ambition to quickly ramp up the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in business aviation motivated him, for example, to argue successfully for an opt-in for small airports into the upcoming ReFuelEU regulation, and to plead for a book-and-claim system to allow business aviation to co-finance the wider uptake of SAF.

Furthermore, “Athar led efforts to improve the EBAA's engagement with its members, ensuring that the Brussels-based trade body’s activities and initiatives were closely aligned with their interests,” Wiese pointed out. He oversaw the development of various member-focused initiatives, including the investment in young professionals through EBAA's One Young World and STARS, and with the EBAA Ambassador program, which aimed to provide members with the tools and resources they needed to succeed in public affairs.

“If the measure of success is whether a person left the organization in better shape than he or she found it, Athar was unquestionably a success,” remarked Andrew Charlton, managing director of Geneva-based consultancy firm Aviation Advocacy. He described Husain Khan as “a context guy” and a leader who fundamentally believed that “if there was no business aviation it would need to be invented.”

Husain Khan’s leadership style was characterized by inclusivity, transparency, and a focus on collaboration. He recognized that the success of the EBAA depended on the collective efforts of its members and staff, and he worked to foster a culture of collaboration and cooperation within the organization.

“Athar was supportive to everybody around him, regardless of rank or seniority,” said Diaz-Pulido. “He was a gentleman...somebody whose European spirit, professional ethic, and commitment were valued by policymakers and industry alike. We will miss him.”

Husain Khan was actively involved in European and international aviation for more than 30 years, holding roles with the Dutch Ministries of Education and Transport, KLM, the Association of European Airlines, and the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.

He worked closely with the U.S. National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) on many issues and events, most notably the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), which is co-hosted each year by NBAA and EBAA. “Athar was a trusted partner, respected leader, and true aviation professional,” commented NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “He will be deeply missed.”

General Aviation Manufacturers Association president and CEO Pete Bunce called Husain Khan “a champion and strong advocate for European business aviation. His knowledge, expertise, and savviness about the global aviation industry will be greatly missed. Athar was a good friend and was well known for his hard work, passion, and dedication to fostering and advancing a healthy and robust ecosystem for our industry to flourish.”