How can APAC airlines use diversity to keep senior talent and attract Gen Z?

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) Assembly of Presidents, recently held in Bangkok, featured three panel discussions addressing critical industry challenges. 

One panel, focused on advancing manpower resilience, tackled a workforce paradox that has left aviation leaders across the region concerned: how to retain aging experts while also attracting younger talent.

The discussion explored how diversity, gender parity, and inclusive leadership could bridge the generational divide between senior staff and Gen Z who view aviation careers as unstable after the pandemic. 

Moderated by AeroTime APAC journalist Jean Carmela Lim, the panel featured four industry leaders:

Lavinia Lau, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer at Cathay Pacific, oversees Cathay Pacific, Cathay Cargo, and Cathay Lifestyle. She serves as Executive Director on Cathay’s Board and Chair of the Board of Airline Representatives in Hong Kong.

Vanessa Ng, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Singapore Airlines, is one of four women on the airline’s Management Team. Economic Times HRWorld recently honored her as one of Southeast Asia’s most influential HR leaders in 2025.

Naheel Dajany, Executive Vice President of Alliances & International Affairs at All Nippon Airways, made history in 2022 as ANA’s first non-Japanese executive after starting as the company’s youngest team member and only non-Japanese full-time colleague.

Richard Nuttall, President of Philippine Airlines, brings extensive CEO and turnaround experience to his role as the first foreign leader of the Philippines’ national carrier, having worked throughout Asia Pacific’s airline industry since the 1980s.

#image_titleCathay Pacific: leading on gender parity and youth engagement

Cathay Pacific has emerged as a diversity leader with women comprising 47% of its 15-member management team, achieving near gender parity at the executive level. Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau emphasized that diversity extends beyond gender to nationality, with over 115 nationalities represented across the airline’s workforce.

“We run Chinese culture assimilation workshops to ensure all employees understand and appreciate different cultures,” Lau explained, noting Cathay’s unique position of bridging Hong Kong’s international outlook with mainland China’s vast talent pool.

The airline has made particular strides in traditionally male-dominated areas. Female pilots now represent 9% of Cathay’s pilot community, but that figure jumps to nearly 20% among cadets, promising stronger representation ahead.

To address youth recruitment, Cathay’s “I Can Fly” program, which has run since 2003, offers aviation education seminars, facility tours, and Discovery Flights for students who’ve never flown before. 

“After seeing all the different pieces of what aviation offers, many discover interests beyond just pilots and cabin crew,” Lau said. 

Survey data shows 30% of program alumni eventually go on to work in the aviation industry, with half joining Cathay directly.

All Nippon Airways: Extending careers while embracing digital transformation

ANA made history by appointing Naheel Dajany as its first non-Japanese executive, signaling commitment to diversity. 

“Breaking a glass ceiling is never easy, but my appointment shows ANA’s commitment to diversity isn’t just words but operational reality,” Dajany said.

Facing Japan’s aging workforce, ANA made a unique decision during the pandemic. Rather than laying off staff, the airline seconded 2,500 employees to 100 local governments and 220 private companies. 

“Employees came back with expanded career perspectives and reaffirmed the company’s strengths,” Dajany noted. “Most importantly, it created a bond showing we’re there for each other in difficult times.”

The airline is now extending pilot contracts for domestic flights from age 65 to 68, while working to raise the general retirement age from 60 to 65 by 2027. Currently, 85% of ANA employees work beyond age 60, helping transfer critical knowledge to younger colleagues.

To boost productivity, ANA has embraced digital transformation. In June 2025, the airline recorded 650,000 use cases of generative AI, with over half its employees actively using AI tools to improve efficiency.

Singapore Airlines: attracting talent through brand marketing

Singapore Airlines launched its “Soar Higher Together” campaign featuring real employees to showcase authentic career experiences and attract younger workers. 

“Gen Z looks for pro-growth and pro-balance, meaningful careers with work-life harmony,” explained Senior VP of Human Resources Vanessa Ng. “Lifelong employment isn’t their priority.”

The campaign, Ng said, emphasizes three value propositions: enabling employees to be brand custodians who impact both business and community, providing continuous learning through global assignments and rotations, and creating a collaborative workplace culture.

The airline’s commitment to internal development is evident: 90% of Singapore Airlines’ leadership is promoted from within, demonstrating clear advancement paths. Senior leaders, including the CEO, review rotation opportunities every two months, ensuring talent development remains a top priority. 

Currently, 25% of leadership positions are held by women, with significant progress made over the past decade.

Philippine Airlines: Embracing talent mobility in a young market

As the first foreign president of Philippine Airlines, Richard Nuttall faces unique challenges managing a workforce in a country with a median age of 26 versus the global average of 30. The airline has abundant young talent but struggles with retention as workers seek opportunities abroad.

“We need to reframe this and embrace it,” Nuttall said. “If we train people and some go work in the Middle East or Europe, many eventually return with valuable experience.”

This strategy is already paying dividends. According to Nuttall, senior management hires at Philippine Airlines have included returning Filipinos from the Netherlands, Australia, and the Middle East, bringing international expertise back home. The airline is positioning itself to benefit from this circular talent flow, accepting that some trained workers will leave while creating pathways for their eventual return with enhanced skills.

Industry-wide challenge: the missing middle management

Across all carriers, a critical gap emerged from the pandemic – experienced middle management. While airlines can build pipelines for entry-level positions and retain senior veterans committed to lifetime careers, the industry lost many mid-career professionals to other sectors.

“There’s a hole in the middle,” Nuttall acknowledged. “That’s where you identify key people and do everything to retain them.”

The panelists agreed that aviation must better promote itself as a data-driven, technology-forward industry. As younger generations seek meaningful work in innovative fields, airlines are repositioning themselves as companies that happen to fly planes, with carriers offering careers in AI, digital transformation, and data analytics alongside traditional aviation roles.

The discussion’s central takeaway? While aviation builds careers for younger workers who value purpose over permanence, it must simultaneously honor the aging expertise critical to operations.

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