Louise Haniver hails from an aviation family in Ireland and four years ago took the "big decision" to move to India to head the marketing operation for business aviation company The Established
How did you get started in aviation?
It was in my blood, my father was an airline pilot and my mother an air hostess, so I grew up when aviation wasn't just a job but a lifestyle. Those were the glamorous days of aviation as I have always been interested in the industry and loved hearing my Dad's stories. Once I left university and began my career in marketing with a travel company, my interest increased.
Where did your career go from there?
I moved to London and began working for a company specialising in aviation training. They were setting up schools around the world training pilots and cabin crew. My job as marketing manager meant a lot of travel and a great deal of interaction with heads of aviation companies.
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How did you end up working in India?
After working in the commercial aviation field, I was asked if I would be interested in joining a new general aviation company based in New Delhi - InterGlobe General Aviation. As the official representatives of some of the largest names in the industry - Hawker Beechcraft, Sikorsky, Pacific Aerospace, Dornier Seaplanes - during the past 4 years, we have established ourselves as one of the biggest general aviation names in the region.
Describe your job?
My job changed during the past year as we rebranded and re-launched the company. Drawing on our success, it seemed a natural business progression to broaden our product offering. We are now called THE ESTABLISHED, branded as THE ESTD, and offer a full spectrum of luxury goods such as yachts, cars, bikes and, of course, executive jets. So from concentrating solely on marketing from an aviation perspective, it is now more of a 360-degree approach. The fundamentals are still there but on a larger scale reaching to an extended target audience and dealing in new industries.
What are you most proud of in the past four years?
I would say I'm proud of taking the opportunity to move to India. It was a big decision, but one I'm very glad I took. And, of course, being part of a team that made us who we are today.
There must be challenges. Has it always been easy?
With such a dynamic, fast-paced industry it is inevitable we face challenges. Launching a company, the global recession last year and sometimes the levels of bureaucracy one has to deal with have all been challenges we have overcome and will continue to.
What sort of people does your company look to employ?
Dedicated, enthusiastic team players with a real can-do attitude. This industry can be demanding, but a great team can make all the difference. In fact, InterGlobe Enterprises, our parent company, has won a best company award for the past three years.
Source: Flight International
