हमारी मुख्य टीम
मेहनाज़ अंसारी
सह-संस्थापक, एयरोस्ट्रैटजीएक्स | वैश्विक व्यापार एवं अवसंरचना नेता | विमानन एवं अवसंरचना नीति विशेषज्ञ
मेहनाज़ अंसारी ने दक्षिण एशिया में विमानन और बुनियादी ढाँचा क्षेत्रों में नेतृत्व, क्षमता निर्माण और नीति-संरेखित शिक्षा की बढ़ती माँग को पूरा करने के लिए एयरोस्ट्रैटजीएक्स (एएसएक्स) की सह-स्थापना की। एएसएक्स का जन्म संस्थानों, सरकारों और उद्योग जगत के नेताओं को क्षेत्र के सतत विकास के अगले चरण को आकार देने के लिए आवश्यक ज्ञान, उपकरण और साझेदारियों से सशक्त बनाने के दृष्टिकोण से हुआ था।
वैश्विक व्यापार, विमानन नीति और बुनियादी ढाँचा रणनीति में 25 वर्षों से अधिक के अनुभव के साथ, मेहनाज़ ने अमेरिका-दक्षिण एशिया आर्थिक सहयोग को आगे बढ़ाने में एक परिवर्तनकारी भूमिका निभाई है। अमेरिकी व्यापार एवं विकास एजेंसी (यूएसटीडीए) में दक्षिण एशिया के लिए वरिष्ठ क्षेत्रीय प्रतिनिधि के रूप में, उन्होंने भारत, बांग्लादेश, श्रीलंका, नेपाल और अन्य सहित आठ देशों में 150 से अधिक बुनियादी ढाँचा परियोजनाओं के विकास का नेतृत्व किया, जिससे स्थानीय प्रभाव को बढ़ावा देते हुए अरबों अमेरिकी निर्यात को बढ़ावा मिला।
उन्हें पाँच अमेरिकी-भारत विमानन शिखर सम्मेलनों का नेतृत्व करने और विमानन में पहले अमेरिकी-भारत कार्यकारी प्रबंधन कार्यक्रम की संकल्पना तैयार करने के लिए व्यापक रूप से जाना जाता है। इन प्रयासों के माध्यम से, मेहनाज़ ने सरकार, शिक्षा जगत और उद्योग के बीच स्थायी साझेदारियाँ स्थापित की हैं। भारतीय नियामकों, बहुपक्षीय एजेंसियों, हवाई अड्डा संचालकों और वैश्विक संस्थानों के साथ उनके गहरे संबंध ASX के मिशन और दृष्टिकोण को सुदृढ़ करते हैं।
ASX में, मेहनाज़ नीतिगत अंतर्दृष्टि, वैश्विक संपर्क और कार्यान्वयन विशेषज्ञता का अनूठा मिश्रण लेकर आती हैं ताकि विमानन शिक्षा, नियामक संरेखण, कार्यकारी प्रशिक्षण और रणनीतिक परामर्श में समाधान प्रदान किए जा सकें। उनका कार्य स्मार्ट शहरों, बंदरगाहों, अंतर्देशीय जलमार्गों, ऊर्जा, आईसीटी, सार्वजनिक खरीद और जलवायु-संरेखित बुनियादी ढाँचे तक भी फैला हुआ है।
समावेशी नेतृत्व की प्रबल समर्थक, मेहनाज़ वीमेन इन एविएशन लीडरशिप इनिशिएटिव की अध्यक्ष और वीमेन इन एविएशन, इंडिया चैप्टर की वरिष्ठ उपाध्यक्ष रह चुकी हैं। वह आईआईएम, हास स्कूल ऑफ बिजनेस और एसएंडपी ग्लोबल के कार्यक्रमों के माध्यम से वरिष्ठ पेशेवरों के लिए नियमित रूप से मास्टरक्लास देती हैं। मेहनाज़ लेडबाय फाउंडेशन की वरिष्ठ सलाहकार भी हैं, जो भारतीय मुस्लिम महिलाओं में नेतृत्व को बढ़ावा देने वाला हार्वर्ड-इनक्यूबेटेड प्लेटफॉर्म है।
एयरोस्ट्रैटजीएक्स के माध्यम से, मेहनाज़ अपने वैश्विक अनुभव को ऐसे प्लेटफॉर्म के निर्माण में लगा रही हैं जो वैश्विक सर्वोत्तम प्रथाओं को स्थानीय कार्यान्वयन के साथ जोड़ते हैं - जिससे दक्षिण एशिया के विमानन और बुनियादी ढांचे के पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र के लिए स्थायी मूल्य का निर्माण होता है।

हमारे विशेषज्ञ सलाहकार
विमानन के भविष्य का निर्माण


Poonam’s aviation journey began in the cabin as an air hostess, but her ambitions quickly took flight. She earned her Commercial Pilot Licenses from both the USA and India in 2009 and soon rose through the ranks—becoming Flight Operations Head at the Sanjay Kakade Group, followed by a pivotal role as Senior Associate for Flight Performance & Airline Operations at Martin Consulting LLC, Dubai. There, she led a pioneering Fuel Burn and Cost Optimisation Study for TAROM Romanian Air Transport, significantly improving operational efficiency.
In 2014, Poonam co-founded Air Taxi Services, spearheading India's regional connectivity movement. Her efforts brought air access to underserved towns and cities, directly supporting tourism, trade, and local economies. Her aviation business acumen extends to aircraft sales, charter auditing, and regulatory certifications (NSOP/AOP), making her a go-to expert for startups and legacy players alike.
In 2025, she introduced India’s first Microtower and Automated Traffic and Advisory System—a solar-powered, rapidly deployable airfield safety solution that delivers real-time weather and traffic updates at remote airstrips, heliports, and STOLports. This groundbreaking system reflects her deep understanding of operational gaps and her ability to engineer scalable, sustainable solutions tailored for India’s unique terrain.
Poonam also plays a strategic role in Greenfield airport projects, including the development of Karikal Airport in Puducherry. Her consultancy services span infrastructure planning, airstrip design, regulatory navigation, and operational readiness, helping government and private stakeholders turn vision into viable aviation projects.
Recognized for her trailblazing work and leadership, Poonam has received several prestigious awards, including:
- Female Entrepreneur of the Year, GTF Women Excellence Summit 2022
- Inspiring Women Entrepreneur, Global Triumph Foundation Women Entrepreneurship Summit 2023
- The Real Super Woman, Forever Star India Awards 2022
- Global Women Inspiration, I CAN Foundation 2022
- Honored by the President of India (2024) as one of the 50 Women Achievers in Indian Aviation
- Celebrated by Women in Aviation India as a Pioneer Woman in Aviation
An advocate for diversity in aviation, she mentors young professionals through her work with the Asia Foundation’s Women in STEM Program and serves as a thought leader in various aviation forums.


Prior to that and has had a distinguished career of nearly three decades in the aviation responsible for the Middle East, South Asia and India regions, handling senior positions in leading aviation companies such as Saudi Arabian Airlines Cargo, Air France-KLM Cargo & Martinair Cargo amongst others.
He worked in close association with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and other ministries and was part of the following initiatives / committees:
Focus Group on Operationalizing of Krishi Udaan, Lifeline Udaan and Vaccine Maitri Defence Convergence Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Governing Council of the Logistics Skill Council (LSC), under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Investment Clearance Cell Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Member – National Committee on Civil Aviation by the Confederation of Indian Industries.
Chartered Member at CMILT (The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport – India).
Former Member, Civil Aviation Advisory Group under the aegis of Hn. Minister of Civil Aviation, India.
Former Member, Air Cargo Promotion Board under the aegis of Hn. Minister of Civil Aviation, India.
Former Member, IATA Advisory panel on CASS Implementation in India.
Mr. Gazder has been conferred the following:
“Industry Ambassador” – India Cargo Awards by DDP in 2022.
“Corona Warrior” Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) Vishwakarma Award for the year 2021.
“Air Cargo Person of the Year 2019-20” awarded by ACAAI Eastern Region.
“Trail Blazer” – India Cargo Awards by DDP in 2018.

Through extensive field-level research and high-impact collaborations, Afaq has delivered successful interventions on international trade and economic development. At BRIEF, he has led multiple flagship assignments in the trade and logistics ecosystem with the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways, Ministry of Commerce, and the National Committee for Trade Facilitation, aimed at enhancing India’s trade environment and improving port efficiency. His work has also contributed significantly to regional economic cooperation in South Asia, particularly on India–Pakistan trade and Cross-Line of Control trade through Jammu & Kashmir.
In June 2025, Afaq was appointed Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the N7 Initiative, Middle East Programs, Atlantic Council (Washington DC). His research there focuses on the economic dimensions of the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor (IMEC). His co-authored report on IMEC at the Atlantic Council is regarded as an important contribution to the literature on the corridor’s economic viability and operational aspects.
Afaq is also a trusted partner for international organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, and UNDP. He served as a member of the Infrastructure Connectivity vertical for India@75 at NITI Aayog, contributing to India’s long-term development agenda. An alumnus of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) on ‘Smart Ports’, he brings global insights to policy, trade, and infrastructure dialogues.
His research and advisory work focus on identifying infrastructural and regulatory inefficiencies, streamlining cross-border trade processes, and advocating progressive policy reforms that strengthen regional and global trade ecosystems. Known for a hands-on, field-driven approach, Afaq’s work is rooted in on-ground research across India and abroad. He was also part of the study team for the study, ‘Assessment of Logistics Cost in India’, an important study towards creating an efficient domestic logistics ecosystem in India, by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
In addition to his policy work, Afaq regularly contributes opinion pieces, journal articles, and book chapters, and delivers lectures at leading universities, forums, and workshops worldwide on international trade, logistics, and infrastructure.

At MindShift, which she co-founded, Rashmi evolved the company’s focus from building EdTech platforms to specializing in data analytics. The company designs tools that take raw performance data and turn it into clear, practical roadmaps for improvement.
Rashmi's deeper passion lies in leadership development and curriculum design. At the School of Meaningful Experiences (SoMe), she planned and designed executive programs for mid-to-senior professionals focused on leadership presence, executive communication, and influence — equipping leaders to manage complex stakeholders, navigate organizational dynamics, and command authority in high-stakes settings. She has also led the development of an AI-powered platform to assess communication skills at scale.
Rashmi holds both B.Tech and M.Tech degrees from IIT Roorkee, and has also completed the General Management Program for IT Executives at IIM Bangalore. At Aerostratgix, she serves as a strategic advisor, leveraging her experience to guide coaching initiatives and high-level course planning.

Henry recently retired from his position as a Regional Director at the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), for which he led infrastructure project development and US business promotion programs focused on capturing large-scale export and infrastructure modernization opportunities in the leading Asia, Middle East and Africa emerging markets. He directed USTDA’s comprehensive trade development programs and professional staff teams in South Asia and Southeast Asia, and previously the programs and staff in China, the Middle East, and North and Sub-Saharan Africa. His duties encompassed all aspects of institutional representation and diplomacy, developing client relationships, providing oversight and strategic planning, maintaining sector expertise, and achieving targeted results across a diverse array of economic growth programs. For more than 10 years, Henry also led USTDA’s Global Transportation Sector team, which required the creative development of new bilateral and multilateral initiatives with varied government and private sector stakeholders to accomplish business and policy goals related to the agency’s strategic mission.
Prior to joining USTDA, Henry worked to structure new public-private sector investment collaborations in the electric power industry, including managing a team that combined project finance structuring with engineering services to build greenfield power plants under new private ownership models in emerging markets. His energy sector background also includes public service positions serving as Energy Advisor at the US Agency for International Development’s Asia Bureau and as Program Officer at both Winrock International Institute and at the Tennessee Valley Authority. In his Program Officer roles, he worked to develop power project feasibility and investment programs, working with both organizations’ international renewable energy and environment divisions. Henry holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University.
Representative Experience
- Led and expanded USTDA’s US-China Aviation Cooperation Program, a private-public partnership providing more than 40 US member companies and four US Government agencies with an innovative platform for commercial and high-level policy engagement in China’s rapidly growing aviation sector; resulting technical and skills development programs led to more than $1.5 million in exports to China
- Working through the US India Aviation Cooperation Program, organized a rapid-deployment capacity development and international safety compliance initiative to assist India’s Civil Aviation Authority with regaining an FAA Category 1 safety rating in 2015,
- Led the implementation of a 10-year, multi-phase technical assistance program for regulatory modernization with Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, designed to achieve an FAA Category 1 safety rating and economic authority for direct flight access to the US by Vietnamese air carriers; also organized service planning programs and specialized business missions to assist a Vietnamese air carrier and Vietnamese airports with successful modernization initiatives
- Working with the US aircraft engine industry, succeeded in an uphill campaign to deploy official US Government training grant support targeted at Emirates’ industry-leading A380 engine procurement
- Led USTDA efforts, with the US FAA and Department of Transportation, on development of a multi-year initiative for the Asia-Pacific region through which technical capacity development programs and trade missions focused on complex aviation safety challenges and growth opportunities were implemented; results included Philippines regaining an FAA Category 1 safety rating
- Working with Philippine and US Government transportation security agencies, launched a new US technical cooperation assistance program for aviation security, targeting Philippine international compliance requirements and US trade interests
- Created numerous new programs to assist public and private energy and transportation sector infrastructure developers with forming business relationships with US exporters, specialized US Government agencies, multilateral banks, and others, including
- Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Infrastructure Collaboration Initiative in 3rd countries
- India Smart Cities development portfolio
- Clean energy and climate change-responsive portfolios in the priority markets of China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines and Pakistan
- Rail and Urban Transportation infrastructure portfolios in India, Vietnam and Indonesia

on airport development strategies, economic analysis, project financing solutions, operational transformation strategies, regulatory reforms and PPP transactions.
Vasu led KPMG’s India aviation business and served as the
Global Airport Sector Lead focussing on business development and consulting solutions for key aviation clients.
Vasudevan holds a post-graduate degree in Economics and a doctorate in Management. He is recognized as a thought leader in the industry and publishes his
views in print and social media frequently.
