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John Johnston
Group CEO at Accelya Group
John Johnston is the Group CEO of Accelya, a leading provider of financial and business intelligence solutions to the airline and travel industry.12 He was appointed to this position in March 2015 as part of the succession plan for Philippe Lesueur, who remained on the board of Accelya companies as an advisor.15
Prior to joining Accelya, Johnston was the Chief Executive Officer of Champ Cargosystems, where he was responsible for its creation and growth into the world's largest dedicated IT provider for the air cargo industry.13 He has an extensive career spanning about 40 years in the aviation industry, during which he has held senior executive positions in several countries and provided consulting services to numerous global airlines.34
Some of Johnston's key achievements include:
- Managing the successful start-up of CHAMP Cargosystems
- Defining the vision and strategy for CHAMP Cargosystems
- Negotiating a $200 million outsourcing agreement with Cargolux
- Overseeing mergers and acquisitions, including CHAMP and SITA Cargo (UK) Limited, Softair AG, and TRAXON Europe GmbH
- Maintaining year-on-year profitability and continued growth of the CHAMP Group4
At Accelya, Johnston's role involves driving further growth, expanding the global team, and opening new markets.25 He is known for his leadership skills and track record in growth, making him well-suited to lead the Accelya Group.2
Johnston is based in Luxembourg and serves on the board of directors for companies in Asia, Europe, and the United States.3 His extensive experience in the development of computer hardware, radio frequency handheld systems, and airline operational and financial solutions has positioned him as a valuable leader in the airline technology sector.34




