Cirium Ascend Consultancy is trusted by clients across the aviation industry to provide accurate, timely, and insightful aircraft appraisals. The team provides the valuations and analysis the industry relies on to understand the market outlook, evaluate risks and identify opportunities.
Discover the team’s industry reports & market commentaries. Read their latest expert analysis, viewpoints and updates on Thought Cloud.
Eleni Maragkou, Valuations Analyst, Cirium Ascend Consultancy
Completing the ISTAT Professional Development Program (PDP) was a valuable and rewarding experience, that strengthened both my technical and professional expertise within the aviation finance industry.
The programme offered valuable deep dive into every aspect of the aviation industry, from aircraft valuation, design and manufacturing to finance and trading. Each module provided practical insight into the commercial and financial drivers that shape the aviation sector. Another significant advantage of the course was the opportunity to network with classmates and knowledgeable course leaders who come from diverse areas across the industry, which supported my understanding the value of the course and its benefits.
A particular highlight was my opportunity to present my slides on the topic of “Why is aircraft valuation both an art and a science?”, which is a very immersive and open-ended topic. This experience enhanced and demonstrated my ability to communicate complex topics, and our group received positive feedback on both content and delivery.
The visit to the Airbus A350 assembly line in Toulouse, was another highlight, offering valuable perspective and understanding on aircraft design, production, and programme implementation.
Towards the final sessions of the course, we conducted an exciting assessment on whether we should place an aircraft on lease or sell it, and the reward for achieving this was a golden ticket which entitles the holder to sit out the final exam. After many discussions and questions, I was informed by the course leaders that I won the tickets, however, I still chose to sit the exam regardless with my fellow coursemates. Additionally, I was also recognised for among the high scores in class along with my graduation diploma.
Overall, the ISTAT PDP deepened and enhanced my understanding of the aviation value chain, strengthened my commitment to continued professional growth in the industry and provided me with valuable industry connections.
