The director-general of the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority won global recognition in the 2019 Business Worldwide CEO Awards.

Thomas Dunstan was crowned Aviation Industry Executive of The Year (Global) for his outstanding leadership through times of change.

Business Worldwide CEO Awards identify and honour the most respective C-suite executives around the world, from a variety of sectors.

The global civil aviation industry has been subject to significant changes over recent years, with a shift from state ownership to privatisation.

Mr Dunstan and his team “have approached the switch with enthusiasm and creativity”, the publication said.

“As a semi-autonomous administration, BCAA has executed the perfect balance between state control and private-sector innovation.”

Mr Dunstan has a bachelor of science degree in aviation management and flight operations and has attained his FAA and Canadian commercial pilot licences with multi-engine instrument and instructor ratings.

Having spent ten years at Bermuda International Airport, his leadership skills, knowledge and commitment to safety led him to become manager of air operations at the airport before joining the then Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation, which later became the BCAA.

Business Worldwide said in the first six months of the organisational change, Mr Dunstan created a new business plan, focusing on staff hiring and processes, building brand awareness and planning for market growth.

In 2018, BCAA launched a marketing campaign to highlight its personal approach and customer-centric business model, using the tagline, “Putting you at the centre of everything we do”.

The campaign highlighted BCAA team members from various departments and gives insight into different roles and personalities in a down-to-earth, friendly way.

Customer experience and safety is at the core of the authority’s agenda, Mr Dunstan said.

In May of this year, Bermuda Aircraft Registry added its 900th aircraft, a significant milestone which seals its reputation as a responsible, stable and growth-orientated organisation.

Mr Dunstan said: “Becoming an authority has given us more financial autonomy while allowing us to be more customer focused.

“We work hard to establish trusted relationships with our global partners, and this is how we have been able to achieve building our current registry.”

• For more information, visit www.bcaa.bm or www.bwmonline.com/2019/08/17/bcaa-governing-the-business-of-aircraft-registration/