US-based Flight Safety Foundation has appointed Dr Hassan Shahidi, a long-time senior executive at MITRE Corporation and a leader in aviation safety and air traffic management, as its new president and CEO with effect from January 2019. Shahidi will succeed Jon L Beatty, who has led the Foundation for the past four years.

Shahidi is currently director of aviation safety and new entrant integration at MITRE, an American not-for-profit organisation based in Bedford, Massachusetts, and McLean, Virginia that manages federally funded research and development centers supporting several government agencies. He played a leading role in the development of the highly regarded Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) capability, which enables government and industry to proactively identify safety issues. He helped extend the data sharing concept to Asia Pacific with the launch of the AP-Share initiative, a collaborative partnership with the Foundation to promote and advance safety data sharing in the fast-growing region. Shahidi, who has over 35 years of leadership in aviation, holds several advanced degrees in economics and engineering and a private pilot licence.

“Dr Shahidi brings unique and deep experience in evidence-based approaches to safety, which is critical to maintain and improve our stellar record in all aspects of aviation,” says Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of engineering and chairman of the Foundation board of governors John Hamilton. “We're extremely grateful for Jon Beatty's stewardship of the Foundation, and we're confident Hassan will take us to the next level and help us confront the challenges of explosive growth and disruptive technology around the globe.”

Shahidi adds: “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead the Foundation. I'll be building on the Foundation's legacy of advancing aviation safety globally and working in partnership to reach new levels of safety by harnessing technology, people, and data, while embracing change.”

Beatty will remain with the Foundation until the end of January to assist in the leadership transition.