Innovative Solutions Supporting Aviation’s Journey to Net Zero Emissions with Jonathon Counsell

As part of The Air League's Global Innovators' Challenge 2026 Winter Webinar Series, we welcome Jonathon Counsell, Group Director of Sustainability at the International Airlines Group (IAG), who will provide an overview of the innovative solutions that will enable the aviation industry to achieve its ambition of net zero emissions by 2050 including:

Operational efficiencies.
New aircraft and engine technology including hydrogen and electric powered aircraft.
Sustainable aviation fuels.
Carbon offsets and carbon removals technology.

Speaker Bio
Jonathon Counsell is the Group Director of Sustainability, International Airlines Group.

Jonathon is a Master’s graduate in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London and has an MBA from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.

In July 2015, Jonathon became Group Head of Sustainability for the International Airlines Group with responsibility for the group sustainability strategy across the Groups’ five airlines Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Level & Vueling. In June 2025 Jonathon was appointed IAG Group Director of Sustainability.

Jonathon was also Chair of the Oneworld Airline Alliance’s Environment Strategy Board from 2020 to 2023.

In December 2024, Jonathon was appointed as a member of the UK Government’s Jet Zero Taskforce Experts Group.

In 2024, Jonathon was privileged to have been awarded an honorary doctorate from Cranfield University cited for his “outstanding and sustained contribution to embedding sustainability across the aviation sector”.

In 2025, Jonathon was honoured to be awarded The Air League’s President’s Meritorious Service Award cited for his “tireless dedication and commitment to sustainability and nurturing the next generation of talent”.