Historic First: Seychelles Airports Authority CEO Elected to ACI Africa Board of Directors

18^th September 2025

Today marks a historic milestone for Seychelles as, for the first time, a Seychellois has been elected to serve on the ACI (Airports Council International) Africa Board of Directors.

Today in Lusaka, Zambia, the 34th ACI Africa General Assembly ratified the election of the Board, which included the appointment of Seychelles Airports Authority (SAA) Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Colin Chang-Tave, as Board Member at Large for the East Africa Region for the 2026–2028 mandate.

This appointment places Seychelles at the forefront of aviation leadership in Africa, with Mr. Chang-Tave proudly taking his seat among the continent’s top airport executives. His election reflects the growing role of Seychelles in shaping the future of air transport in Africa and beyond.

Mr. Chang-Tave expressed pride in this show of trust and confidence from his peers so soon after his appointment as CEO. He noted that while his mandate is to represent and advance the collective interests of African airports, his election will also enhance progress for Seychelles’ airports and strengthen Seychelles’ visibility. He also took the opportunity to congratulate our neighbour, Mr. Fabrice Grondin of La Réunion, on his election as ACI Africa President—marking the very first time that the ACI will be led by an Indian Ocean islander.

SAA views Mr. Chang-Tave’s appointment as an opportunity to contribute to the advancement of Africa’s aviation sector, share Seychelles’ expertise, and foster stronger collaboration across the region.

In addition to CEO Chang-Tave’s historic appointment, two SAA professionals have also been elected to leadership positions within ACI Africa committees, bringing further pride to Seychelles and its aviation industry.

• Alvynas Vidot, Manager (Airport Planning, Performance and Transformation), has been elected as a member of the ACI Africa Facilitation, Technology & Innovation Committee, representing the East Africa Region for the 2026–2028 term.
• Lorella Uranie, General Manager (Human Resources & Administration), has been elected as a member of the ACI Africa Human Resource & Leadership Committee, also representing East Africa for the 2026–2028 term.

Notably, Ms. Uranie was invited as a panel speaker in Arusha, Tanzania, earlier this year, where she addressed the theme: “Advancing workforce equality and diversity in African Airports to build inclusive skies.”

These achievements underline Seychelles’ growing recognition on the international stage, with its professionals now actively contributing to shaping aviation policies, strategies, and innovations across Africa.