Meet the Team

An air traffic controller and examiner experienced in both aerodrome and area radar environments, Maria spent several years with the UK CAA where she headed a policy section within the Air Traffic Standards Department. In 2007 she joined ASSI as Manager of the Policy, Quality and Standardisation team responsible for company policy on all technical issues; the development of the ASSI company and regulatory management system and ensuring the consistency of decision making and output from ASSI. In April 2009 she was appointed Chief Executive Officer. Her key responsibilities include: establishing the strategic direction of ASSI; overall management of the company's activities to the standards required by law, by the CAA and by our Board; and overall company finances - within the budget determined by the Board.

Tel: +44 1293 214041
VoIP: +44 3301 383369

Email Maria Boyle

Justin started his career in aviation as a SE flying instructor and ME turboprop pilot. Following his operational experience, Justin joined the UK CAA working for over 10 years in aerodrome policy and standardisation and aerodrome inspection. His key responsibilities within the company include all operations issues, day to day management and incorporation of international requirements into ASSI systems and procedures.

Tel: +44 1293 214059
VoIP: +44 3301 383372

Email Justin Rothwell

Before joining the UK CAA Mark worked in airline operations overseeing the operation of a number of aircraft types from King Air to Boeing 757.  These covered mail, cargo and passenger flights around the world for a diverse range of clients.  In 2008 he joined the UK CAA as an Aerodrome Operations Inspector providing support to the Aerodromes Strategy and Standards team and aerodrome training, audit oversight and consultancy for various aerodrome projects outside the UK on behalf of CAA International.

Tel: +44 1293 214046
VoIP: +44 3301 383371

Email Mark Baker

Matt works for ASSI as a contractor providing training services.

Email Matt Bennett (Contractor)

Tommy began his aviation career as an air traffic controller in the Royal Air Force before transferring to the Royal Navy and subsequently re-training as a civil ATCO with NATS in 2003.  He worked at a variety of  airports both in the UK and overseas as a controller, instructor, examiner and FISO, including 2 periods as an Area Controller at West Drayton and Swanwick. In the wider context, Tommy has also filled management and aviation appointments in the USA, the Middle East and Far East. He joined ASSI in 2019 from an Aviation Safety Management role with the Qatar CAA. 

Tel: +44 1293 214060
VoIP: +44 3301 383389

Email Tommy Brown

Clare has 20 years experience working in the international aviation regulatory environment. As Training Manager for ASSI, she is responsible for the provision of training to establish and maintain competency of ASSI staff. She also works with the Aviation Regulators in the Overseas Territories to develop their training management systems and to provide training to support their staff development.

In addition, Clare works on safety promotion initiatives targetted on specific issues.

Tel: +44 1293 214061
VoIP: +44 3301 383362

Email Clare Bury

A practising lawyer for over 40 years who has specialised in aviation law for the past 25 years during which time he has undertaken advisory projects in many parts of the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Caribbean. Co-author of the 8th edition of An Introduction to Air Law published by Kluwer. He has been legal adviser to ASSI since its formation and was a member of the team that undertook the study on the Overseas Territories for the Department of Transport.

Tel: +44 1293 214060

Email Mike Butler

Bruce obtained his PPL when he was 18, but his professional aviation career started when he joined the Royal Navy, where he served as both an aircraft engineer and helicopter pilot. Upon leaving the Service, he worked in the offshore oil industry as a pilot, engineering planning manager and Base Manager, located in Aberdeen and later the Shetland Islands. He then moved into flight safety and security, working for the BALPA, and subsequently IFALPA, where he became involved in international flight safety and security issues and the work of ICAO.  Bruce was a member of an international industry group that was tasked by ICAO to develop the Global Aviation Safety Roadmap, now incorporated into ICAO's Global Aviation Safety Plan.  He joined ASSI in 2012.

Tel: +44 1293 214058
VoIP: +44 3301 383375

Email Bruce D'Ancey

Peter started his aviation career when he joined the Royal Navy, where he served as an aircraft engineer. Since leaving the service, he has worked extensively in civil aviation, performing many varied engineering  management and quality compliance roles within airline related maintenance companies, both at home and abroad. Recently returning from China, where he worked for a large international maintenance organisation in Shanghai, he joined ASSI as an Airworthiness Surveyor in June 2017.

Tel: +44 1293 214055
VoIP: +44 3301 383384

Email Peter Davidson

Mark joined ASSI in 2003 from the UK CAA's Air Traffic Service Standards Department where he was engaged for 13 years in the safety regulation of CNS (communication, navigation, surveillance) systems in relation to approvals, requirements and policy setting.

Tel: +44 1293 214048
VoIP: +44 3301 383365

Email Mark Denney

Marcus has worked for ASSI since 2003 and currently manages the Overseas Territories Assessment programme.  He also provides personnel licensing advice and assistance (with particular focus on air traffic and maintenance engineer licensing and medical certification) to all the Overseas Territories and direct regulatory oversight where appropriate.

Tel: +44 1293 214045
VoIP: +44 3301 383363

Email Marcus Doller

Ian joined ASSI in March 2020.

VoIP: +44 3301 383304

Email Ian Folland

Garth joined the team in April 2018.

Tel: +44 1293 214057
VoIP: +44 3301 383386

Email Garth Gray

Graduated from Kingston University with a BEng Aerospace Engineering degree with a background in Operations working for GE Aviation. First joined the UK CAA in 2016 and worked in the Safety Data team handling MOR data and Dangerous Goods Occurrences and contributed to various projects with the GA Unit.  Joined ASSI in 2019 working on the development of inspector procedure manuals for all regulatory areas, developing implementing projects via Centrik and providing inspector support through Centrik. Also, conducting internal audits supporting internal quality functions and providing support with safety assurance functions.

Tel: +44 1293 214056
VoIP: +44 3301 383383

Email Sumal Kodippili

Peter has worked with ASSI in the past but joined full-time in February 2020.

VoIP: +44 3301 383385

Email Peter Lavender

Ewelina joined ASSI in 2019. She has over 10 years of experience in aviation, mainly in airfield and ground operations. She worked at several airports in Poland including Warsaw Chopin Airport. After moving to UK, she worked for one of the airlines as a Ground Ops Quality and Safety Specialist and later as a Health and Safety Manager for one of the Ground Handling Agents in Gatwick Airport.

Tel: +44 1293 214068
VoIP: +44 3301 383390

Email Ewelina Lesniak

Ian joined ASSI in November 2019 after having gained 24 years experience with the UK CAA and CAA International in the field of airworthiness. He initially worked as an avionic certification specialist on the A320 and A380 JAA/EASA programmes before moving to the Chief Surveyors office in 2007 where he dealt with Part 145 and Part M policy. From there he joined CAA International in 2012 as a Senior Technical Advisor to provide guidance and advice in airworthiness matters including Specific Approvals, and ICAO matters. Before joining the UK CAA, Ian worked for British Aerospace in Prestwick, Scotland for 10 years as an Avionic and Electrical Systems engineer.

+44 1293 214054
VoIP: +44 3301 382707

Email Ian MacLaren

Derek Nicholls joined ASSI in January 2020 from the UK CAA General Aviation Unit.

+44 1293 214047
VoIP: +44 3301 382811

Email Derek Nicholls

Geoffrey began his career in Bermuda as an air traffic controller and assisted on multiple aerodrome compliance projects. He left Bermuda in 2015 to work for Navblue and to undertake a graduate degree before eventually joining the UK CAA in 2016 where he worked in personnel licensing and the UAS Unit as a UAS Inspector.  Geoffrey joined ASSI in December 2018 and now works as a contractor.

Email Geoffrey Smith (Contractor)

Alison has worked for ASSI since its establishment in 2003. She has a broad scope of responsibilities including assisting with the governance of ASSI (production and monitoring of ASSI Business and Continuity Plans); contract management (Meteorology); direct regulation (flight crew licensing) and managing our relationship with ICAO (ensuring completion of ICAO Continuous Monitoring Tools for the Overseas Territories and co-ordinating responses to State Letters).

Tel: +44 1293 214044
VoIP: +44 3301 383367

Email Alison Thomas

Miranda joined us from the CAA and is the PA to the CEO, additionally responsible for finance administration and maintenance and development of our website.

Tel: +44 1293 214040
VoIP: +44 3301 383366

Email Miranda Waters

Sean Widmark has joined the ASSI team as our first, permanent, aviation security specialist. Sean was previously with the UK CAA's team of aviation security inspectors.

Tel: +44 1293 214052
VoIP: +44 3301 383381

Email Sean Widmark

Jayne joined ASSI permanently in September 2009 following an 18 month secondment from CAA International.  Jayne's role covers a wide range of technical support tasks, including co-ordination of ICAO’s Continuous Monitoring Approach tools and ICAO State Letters, issuance of Staff Authorisations, supporting regulatory projects, production of the bi-annual Overseas Territories Safety Bulletin and being involved with other promotional material as appropriate. She also acts as IT Co-ordinator and Data Manager for ASSI, ensuring that ASSI process personal data appropriately.

Tel: +44 1293 214043
VoIP: +44 3301 383309

Email Jayne Woods