A Decade of Celebration – Air Canada x Brisbane Airport

A Decade of Celebration – Air Canada x Brisbane Airport

Join senior leaders from business and government for a private luncheon celebrating ten years of Air Canada’s Brisbane-Vancouver route and the strengthening connection between Canada and Queensland.

Over the past decade, the direct service has played an important role in deepening trade, tourism, investment, education and people-to-people ties between two highly connected and trusted economies.

This special gathering will bring together industry leaders and partners to reflect on the impact of the route, celebrate the partnership between Air Canada and Brisbane Airport, and look ahead to the next chapter of Australia-Canada connectivity and growth.

We look forward to welcoming you for an afternoon of conversation, connection, celebration (and a few surprises!).

By invitation only.

Gert-Jan de Graaff

Chief Executive Officer

BRISBANE AIRPORT CORPORATION

Gert-Jan de Graaff has served as Chief Executive Officer of Brisbane Airport Corporation Pty Ltd since June 2018 and brings more than 30 years of international airport leadership experience. He began his career with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in 1995, holding senior roles across commercial, finance and strategy, before being appointed Managing Director of ASDC AB, responsible for commercial operations at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. He previously held executive leadership roles with Brisbane Airport Corporation (2007–2012), before leading the successful bid for Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão Airport on behalf of Royal Schiphol Group, and subsequently serving as President & CEO of JFKIAT LLC, operator of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport from 2014.

In addition to his role with Brisbane Airport Corporation, Mr de Graaff holds several current board appointments, including Director and Second Vice President of the Airports Council International Asia-Pacific and Middle East Regional Board; Director on the Airports Council International World Governing Board; Director on the Australian Airports Association Board; and Director on the Tourism and Events Queensland Board. He has also held numerous previous board and advisory positions across the aviation, cargo, border force, sustainability and tourism sectors.

Rocky Lo

Managing Director, International Sales

AIR CANADA

With a distinguished career spanning over 20 years of commercial and operational experience in the aviation industry, Rocky Lo is an accomplished leader and strategic thinker. As Managing Director of International Sales at Air Canada, Rocky is responsible for leading Air Canada’s International Sales Organization including teams based on six continents driving revenue growth and market expansion across key international markets.

Rocky's expertise is developing and executing robust sales strategies that capitalize on emerging market opportunities while optimizing existing operations. He is an energetic and innovative business leader with experience in developing diverse international teams to produce consistently strong results.

Prior to the role in International Sales, Rocky held pivotal roles in Revenue Management at Air Canada for over 15 years where he is responsible for the development and implementation of pricing and yield management strategies, for the Asia Pacific Region and across Air Canada’s network. Through his leadership, Air Canada has achieved significant milestones in market share and revenue, solidifying its position as a leader in the competitive airline industry.

Rocky holds a master’s degree in aviation management from University of Newcastle, Australia, complementing his hands-on experience with a solid academic foundation. He is known for his ability to inspire and lead cross-functional teams towards achieving ambitious revenue targets and operational excellence. Rocky continues to drive innovation and excellence, ensuring Air Canada's continued success in a dynamic and evolving global market landscape.

Melissa Wharton

Chief Executive Officer

CANADIAN AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CACC)

Melissa Wharton is the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC), the peak bilateral business body advancing trade, capital flows and strategic partnerships between Canada and Australia.

She is widely recognised as a leading advocate for deeper economic integration between the two countries, working at the intersection of government, institutional investors and industry. Under her leadership, the CACC convenes senior ministers, pension funds, superannuation leaders and global corporates across priority sectors including institutional investment, critical minerals, infrastructure, energy transition, defence and advanced manufacturing. The Chamber is the only bilateral organisation with active operations and governance presence in both countries.

Melissa is a dual citizen and a recognised advocate for strengthening economic ties between Canada and Australia.

Kiyo Weiss

Senior Director, Sales Asia Pacific

AIR CANADA

Kiyo joined Air Canada in 2009, becoming General Manager in 2013. Currently, as Senior Director Sales Asia Pacific, she has the expanded responsibilities for passenger revenue generated by all countries in the region including Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and other Southeast Asian countries. Kiyo has been a driving force behind Air Canada's strategic growth in the Asia Pacific Region, making valuable contributions to initiatives that have strengthened the airline’s presence across key markets. This growth includes the launch of new routes from Bangkok, Singapore, and Manila to Vancouver, as well as expanded service in the South Korea and Japan markets over the past three years.

Before joining Air Canada, she worked for United Airlines holding various key management positions, including Reservations and Ticket Office Manager for Japan and District Sales Manager for Eastern Japan. Prior to United, she worked for Business International (British Economist Group Consulting Company) as a researcher and for Mitsui and Co., Ltd. Kiyo has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American Literature from Aoyama Gakuin University in Japan and has recently accepted an appointment to the University’s Board of Directors. She also studied simultaneous translation at Simul Academy and completed one-year JMEC (Japan Market Expansion Competition) program developing market strategy for a financial corporation seeking to enter the individual High Net Worth market. She is a former governor of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan, an advisor for the Kids Earth Fund, a Nobel prize nominated NPO, and the President of Aoyama’s Professionals’ Society, the university’s largest business focused alumni group.

Mark Dwyer

Chairman and CEO

REVOLT ENERGY GROUP

Mark Dwyer is a seasoned tech entrepreneur with an 18-year career spanning North America and the Asia-Pacific regions, marked by a people-first, data-driven leadership style that has consistently driven success. He has held executive roles in public companies, including serving as Managing Director at Afterpay (ASX:APT), acquired by BLOCK (NYSE:SQ), and Datawatch (NASDAQ:DWCH), acquired by ALTAIR (NASDAQ:ALTR).

Mark has operationalized and scaled businesses in over 16 international markets, leveraging his expertise in forecasting, P&L management, and financial modelling to guide organizations toward sustainable growth. As a board director, serial entrepreneur, and corporate strategist, he has led capital raising efforts, M&A, and built strategic alliances with global leaders such as Microsoft, Apple, Google, and VISA. His journey reflects a powerful blend of global insight, innovation, and strategic execution.

Anthony Penney

Co-Chair

CACC Queensland Committee

Anthony is a Regional Manager for Queensland, Palau and Papua New Guinea, responsible for commercial activity, as well as, government, industry and tourism relations. He has considerable commercial experience, having led sales teams across the airline and has held management roles in customer experience, operational and learning and development areas.

Previously, Anthony was the Executive Director, Industry & Government Engagement at Business SA, South Australia’s chamber of commerce. Sitting on the leadership team he led Business SA’s policy and advocacy efforts lobbying state and federal politicians regarding key issues facing South Australian businesses. He was also the media spokesperson conducting over 1000 interviews with local, national and international media outlets over a 4-year period.