In 2004 Dr Kostas Iatrou founded Hellenic Aviation Society. His dream has always been to establish an international organisation whose members should be the decision makers of the air transport industry.
Dr Iatrou successfully launched in 2006 ATN – Air Transport News, one of the key B2B media in commercial aviation. The success of ATN – Air Transport News has allowed him to interact and network with the decision makers of the air transport and to participate in the key events of the industry.
In 2012 Dr Iatrou shared his idea of establishing Hermes, which was initially established as a networking club owned by ATN – Air Transport News.
The advisory committee brought together to develop the project were:
Vijay Poonoosamy (the first President and honorary member), Robert Deillon (Vice President), Dr Elijah Chingosho, Dr Pierre Coutu, Mohamed Elamiri, Mauro Oretti, Ioanna Papadopoulou, Dr Andreas Papatheodorou and Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus.
After a series of meetings the committee agreed on and signed the Memorandum and Articles of Hermes Air Transport Club.
On 16 March 2013 Hermes was founded in Montreal in a small ceremony held at Hilton Bonaventure.
On Saturday 6 December 2014 Hermes hosted in ICAO Headquarters, Montreal, the Centennial Awards and presented the book “100 Years of Commercial Aviation” in partnership with ICAO, ACI, CANSO and IATA. In the same event , Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of ICAO became the first Honorary Member of Hermes.
In June 2016 , Hermes hosted its first reception at the IATA AGM in Dublin. In October of the same year Hermes hosted a reception in ICAO Triennial Assembly during which Dr Benard Olumuyiwa Aliu, President of ICAO Council became Hermes’s Second Honorary Member.
In the summer of 2017 Hermes Board took the landmark decision to transform Hermes from a Club to a non for profit organisation that will be based in Montreal, Canada, the aviation capital of the world.
At the beginning of 2018, Hermes Board resolved to actively contribute to air transport by launching its annual recommendations on key aviation issues.
On 2nd March 2018, the first Hermes Leaders Forum took place in Ekali with the theme being Ownership and control in Aviation.
On 11 July 2018 Hermes officially becomes a non for profit organisation.
On 23 July 2018 AACO and Hermes sign a Partnership Exchange Memorandum of Understanding.
On 1st November 2018 the European Regions Airline Association signed with Hermes a reciprocal membership agreement.
With the objective of continuing strengthening partnerships within the aviation industry, the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) and Hermes Air Transport Organisation signed On 22nd January 2019 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
On 3rd May 2019, Hermes AGM & Leaders Forum took place in Ekali with the theme being Education and Performance in Aviation. During the Forum the participants had the opportunity to see and listen to Mozart’s Costa Violin. Vijay Poonoosamy became the Third Honorary Member after his decision not to renew his term as President. Jeff Poole was unanimously named President of Hermes.
The African Airlines Association and Hermes – Air Transport Organisation, have signed on 3rd June 2019 a MoU to deepen their cooperation.
On 27 June 2019 Hermes was invited to participate as observer to the 40th ICAO Assembly Hermes, and submitted two information papers.
Hermes – Air Transport Organisation and EUROCONTROL singed a Memorandum of Understanding on 24th September 2019.
On 26 October 2019 IATA and Hermes signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen their cooperation.
On 30 April 2020, Hermes AGM & Leaders Forum took place online with the theme being Air Transport Re-imagined and Re-invented. Salvatore Sciacchitano became the Fourth Honorary Member (the ceremony was held on Friday 28 August 2020).
On 28 August 2020 during the 2020 Summer Aviation Forum and the 2020 Air Transport Awards, Pieter Elbers, CEO of KLM, receives the 2020 Hermes Award.
During the 2022 Air Transport Awards on Thursday 10 February held in Ekali, Greece, Harry Theocharis received the 2022 Hermes Award. Also Dr Kostas Iatrou, Director General of Hermes was bestowed with the 2022 Keramianakis Award of Hellenic Aviation Society for his contribution to air transport.
On Thursday 9 June 2022, Hermes – Air Transport Organisation held the 2022 Hermes AGM & Leaders Forum hosted by EUROCONTROL.
Following the initiative of Dr Kostas Iatrou, a Declaration to lay down the foundation for the launch of a new collaboration mechanism under a form of a High-Level Organization was signed at the International Aviation Summit: The future of air transport, held on Thursday 8 December 2022 in Ekali, Greece. This declaration seeks to ensure the global coordination and facilitate decision-making processes for the top level of aviation leading organisationsLeaders committed to work together in order to establish the International Aviation Forum.
The declaration was signed by the top leaders of the aviation industry (Fabio Gamba. Director General of ASA; Simon Hocquard, Director General of CANSO; Dr Kostas Iatrou, Director General of Hermes Air Transport Organisation; Mehmet Nane, Chair of the Board of Governors at IATA and Glyn Hughes, Director General of TIACA).
Board of Directors
2013-14
President – Vijay Poonoosamy
Vice President – Robert Deillon
Member – Prof Martin Dresner
Member – Jeff Poole
Member – Catalin Radu
Administrator – Dr Kostas Iatrou
2014-15
President – Vijay Poonoosamy
Vice President – Robert Deillon
Member – Prof Martin Dresner
Member – Jeff Poole
Administrator – Dr Kostas Iatrou
2015-16
President – Vijay Poonoosamy
Vice President – Robert Deillon
Member – Prof Martin Dresner
Member – Jeff Poole
Administrator – Dr Kostas Iatrou
2016-17
President – Vijay Poonoosamy
Vice President – Robert Deillon
Member – Prof Martin Dresner
Member – Henrik Hololei
Member – Jeff Poole
Administrator – Dr Kostas Iatrou
2017-18
President – Vijay Poonoosamy
Vice President – Robert Deillon
Member – Angela Gittens
Member – Henrik Hololei
Member – Jeff Poole
Administrator – Dr Kostas Iatrou
2018-19
President – Vijay Poonoosamy
Vice President & Treasurer – Robert Deillon
Secretary & Director General – Dr Kostas Iatrou
Member – Angela Gittens
Member – Henrik Hololei
Member – Jeff Poole
2019-20
President – Jeff Poole
Vice President & Treasurer – Robert Deillon
Secretary & Director General – Dr Kostas Iatrou
Member – Angela Gittens
Member – Henrik Hololei
Member – Luis Felipe de Oliveira
2020-21
President – Jeff Poole
Vice President & Treasurer – Robert Deillon
Secretary & Director General – Dr Kostas Iatrou
Member – Angela Gittens
Member – Henrik Hololei
Member – Luis Felipe de Oliveira
2021-22
President – Jeff Poole
Vice President & Treasurer – Luis Felipe de Oliveira
Secretary & Director General – Dr Kostas Iatrou
Member – Angela Gittens
Member – Henrik Hololei
Member – Eamonn Brennan
2022-23