As Future Travel Experience enters its next chapter following Founder Daniel Coleman’s transition from day-to-day leadership, newly appointed Managing Director Max Gosney is focused on building on the strong foundations already in place while ensuring the organisation continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of the aviation industry.
Gosney joins FTE following a successful career spanning aviation media and events, where he developed a strong track record of growing industry communities and delivering high-value networking and knowledge platforms. Now at the helm of FTE during its milestone 20th anniversary year, he is focused on strengthening customer value, deepening industry collaboration, and ensuring FTE continues to play a meaningful role in shaping the future of air transport innovation.
In this interview with FTE’s Editor Ross Falconer, Gosney shares insights into his professional journey, his perspective on FTE’s unique role in the industry, the innovation trends he believes will have the biggest real-world impact, and how he hopes the organisation will continue to deliver value for airlines, airports and partners worldwide.
FTE: Can you tell us a bit about your professional journey so far, and what ultimately drew you to Future Travel Experience at this point in your career?
Max Gosney: “My journey began as a journalist and magazine editor. I stumbled into the events space by chance when we launched think tanks, awards and conferences to support our readers. My curiosity and love of a story allowed me to bridge the gap between the page and the stage as a facilitator.
“In all honesty, I’ve been incredibly lucky. My boss had the foresight to spot the gem of an events business that was Ground Handling International and negotiate its purchase back in 2015. He took a chance on me that I’ll always be grateful for by asking if I’d shadow the owner-founder with a view to stepping into their shoes further down the line.
“GHI was packed with some amazing people who became the fulcrum of my future team. I was hooked on aviation from the very first time I experienced a pushback. We built the events through a focus on delivering premium networking services and outstanding customer service. COVID smashed everything down, so we doubled down and built it back up all over again.
“By last year, we’d added a hugely successful GSE Expo Europe and set a record attendance at our flagship conference. As tough as it is in life, sometimes you have to know when to leave a party while you’re still having fun. I was approached about the FTE role and it sparked excitement and curiosity. It’s a much-loved brand dealing with fascinating subject matter that will transform the way we move around the world. It’s also blessed with great people and I’m committed to working with them and our customers to achieve great things.”
FTE: You’re stepping into the Managing Director role following Daniel Coleman, who founded and shaped FTE over many years. How do you view the legacy he’s built, and how do you see your role in building on that foundation?
“I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend time learning from Daniel over the past six weeks or so. I’ve been able to go back to the beginning with him and really understand why he started FTE in the mid-2000s and what makes the business stand out. I think one of our customers summed it up best when they described Daniel as the Mayor of FTE Town.
“He had the vision to see a thriving community hub for technology experts to collaborate with airports and airlines where others could only see a barren strip of land. Daniel built the business to have an events presence on three continents, helped shape the positive transformation of hundreds of airports, and created the FTE Communities model that continues to act as a catalyst for tangible technological advances across the industry. It’s a wonderful legacy of which he should be hugely proud.
“My role now is to reinforce and build on the FTE values upon which that town was built. What are we about and how do we deliver more of that secret sauce to our customers? I will always be challenging myself to bring in new ideas and formats that deliver real value to our attendees. We are an events business focused on accelerating innovation, so we must practice what we preach.”
FTE: Which elements of FTE’s culture, values or mission do you see as non-negotiable as the business enters into its next chapter?
“The FTE mission has always been about helping our aviation community enhance the passenger journey of tomorrow by accelerating collaboration today. Too often in aviation we operate as individuals rather than as a coherent team. Airports, airlines, technology providers and ground handlers all have unique strengths, but we all ultimately serve the same passenger. It’s time to fully recognise that and work together, and FTE wants to help enable that teamwork. We’re also helped significantly by being part of APEX, one of the world’s largest airline associations, which brings strong airline engagement to our events.
“In terms of our values, they are clear to me. FTE is pioneering – we are a disruptor who looks over the horizon at what’s coming next. We are customer-driven and always try to put ourselves in our supporters’ shoes. The business is built on great teamwork from a selfless group of people who take pride in delivering a great product to our audience. That team is also incredibly personable, and we want to bring even more of that warmth to the on-site experience.”
FTE: As you settle into the role, what are your key priorities for FTE over the next 12 months?
“I’m a great believer in the Peter Drucker quote that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. For me, it will be about embodying the FTE values in everything we do, particularly at our events in 2026.
“Another key priority is getting closer to our customers and better understanding the challenges they face in their operations. Only by walking a mile in their shoes can we expect to build a business that truly adds value. I’m excited to get out into airports, spend time observing day-to-day challenges, and explore the technologies that could help alleviate those pain points.”
FTE: How would you like airlines, airports and industry partners to describe the value FTE brings to them under your leadership?
“I would like aviation stakeholders to say that FTE understands their biggest challenges like no other. That we opened their eyes to bold new technologies but also helped them address the hidden challenges of successful implementation in capacity-constrained environments with immense cost pressures.
“In simple terms, I’d love the industry to say that FTE helped us get to the future faster by enabling us to go there together with our aviation peers.”
FTE: Which technology or innovation trends do you believe will have the biggest real-world impact on air transport this year and beyond?
“You’d be hard pressed to look past AI and Agentic AI in particular. I know it’s a key focus area of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub this year. Agentic AI will be a game-changer that allows systems to move from simply responding to inputs to taking ownership of outcomes and solving problems more fluidly.
“Airports and airlines could deploy agentic AI to predict disruptions before they occur, dynamically adjust operations, and support frontline teams in real time. We’ve even heard discussions at our recent FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub meeting about AI being used to assess behavioural patterns among passengers at the gate. This raises fascinating – and perhaps slightly Minority Report-style – questions about how proactive intervention might shape the future passenger experience.”
FTE: How important is FTE’s role as a community catalyst, rather than simply an event or media platform, in today’s industry landscape?
“Invaluable. In a competitive events landscape we can’t simply become a generic event provider. FTE has to stand out by offering unique content, meaningful networking, and memorable social experiences.
“We want people to look back and remember the connections they made at an FTE Ice Breaker or the first time they saw a humanoid customer service robot on the exhibition floor. The innovations of tomorrow should flow from the first conversations that happen at an FTE conference or community meeting.”
FTE: From a passenger perspective, what do you think airports and airlines most need to get right in the near-term?
“Always remember there’s only one passenger, even if that person moves through multiple operational areas across the airport. Industry stakeholders often have such deep knowledge of their own environments that it can sometimes become difficult to see the wood from the trees.
“A passenger doesn’t distinguish between gate and apron, between check-in staff and cabin crew. To them, it’s one journey delivered by one industry. That means it’s counterproductive to point fingers when things go wrong. The passenger simply sees one experience. Everyone is to blame if it goes wrong. So let’s work together to get it right.”
FTE: Finally, on a more personal note: when you think about the future of travel, what kind of experience do you hope today’s industry efforts will deliver for passengers?
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to imagine a future where you’re genuinely excited about going to the airport because you know the process will be effortless, the atmosphere enjoyable, and the customer service world-class?
“Too often the stress only disappears when we reach the hotel or resort. Why can’t we build a future where the holiday spirit starts the moment we leave home? FTE will be working hard alongside our industry partners to help enable that future.”
