Montreal – 09 January 2025 – The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) extends its warmest congratulations to James ‘Jim’ Viola on his appointment as the new President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). IBAC also extends its sincere best wishes to Pete Bunce on his retirement from the role after many years of dedicated service.

Viola has been the President and CEO of Vertical Aviation International since 2020 and brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished career in aviation to this new leadership role. His military career and extensive background with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) positions him well to guide GAMA and its members in navigating the evolving landscape of general aviation.

“We at IBAC congratulate Jim Viola as the new President and CEO of GAMA,” said Kurt Edwards, Director General, IBAC. “Jim serves on our IS-BAO Standards Board and his broad aviation safety acumen and industry insight are outstanding. Jim’s leadership will further strengthen GAMA’s efforts in promoting safety, innovation, sustainability, and global collaboration.”

Edwards added, “We are also deeply grateful for Pete Bunce’s significant contributions to the industry during his tenure at GAMA. His leadership has been invaluable, and we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

IBAC and GAMA leaders have worked closely for decades on important industry issues. The Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change (BACCC) was co-developed by GAMA and IBAC in 2009, and they continue to work together to advance the industry’s commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The IBAC team looks forward to continued collaboration with GAMA under Viola’s leadership to address shared challenges and opportunities facing the broader aviation community.

About International Business Aviation Council (IBAC)

IBAC represents the interests of business aviation worldwide. IBAC is a non-profit, international trade association with official observer status at the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN Specialized Agency for aviation matters, in Montreal, Canada. IBAC promotes and manages the industry-leading standards for best safety practices through its International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO^TM); International Standard for Business Aviation Handling (IS-BAH^TM); Safety Management Tool Kit; SMS eLearning training; and Crew Card. Recently introduced in partnership with CTX, the IBAC Carbon Credit Exchange provides the business aviation community with a reliable resource for real-time offsetting to reduce its carbon footprint. More details at www.ibac.org

Media contact:

Marj Rose, IBAC Communications Consultant, comms@ibac.org