Paul Steele
Executive Director
Air Transport Action Group
Paul Steele is Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), a worldwide alliance of the many companies and associations throughout the air transport industry interested in promoting economically beneficial aviation capacity and infrastructure improvements in an environmentally responsible manner. Members include airlines, airports, manufacturers, air traffic control authorities, airline pilot and air traffic controller associations, chambers of commerce, travel and tourism associations, ground transport and communications providers.
Paul is also Director Aviation Environment of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with the responsibility for guiding and implementing IATA’s environment strategy worldwide. Prior to joining IATA in December 2007, Paul was Chief Operating Officer of WWF International. In this role, he worked extensively on spearheading major partnerships with business and industry with a view to helping them to develop and implement environment strategies. He worked to strengthen WWF’s brand and improve capacity and efficiency within its global network, which includes more than 60 national and programme offices, and 4,800 employees worldwide.
Before WWF, Paul had over 20 years’ senior management experience with major international companies. He was Chief Executive of The Virgin Trading Company, the consumer goods arm of Richard Branson’s entrepreneurial empire.
Before that, he was Senior Vice President Sales, Marketing and Information Technology of the Hilton Hotel Group, covering 150 hotels in 50 countries and overseeing a sales and marketing team of 1,000 people. Prior to this, he worked for 15 years in various senior roles at Pepsi Cola International, lastly serving as Group Vice President in charge of Northern Europe.
Over the years, Paul has worked in a broad range of cultures and business environments, living and working in Germany, Austria, Turkey, Egypt, the United Kingdom and now Switzerland. He speaks fluent French and German, as well as some Italian and Eastern European languages. His hobbies include music, travel, wildlife, hiking and singing. He is married and has two children.
