Kerissa Khan MRAeS is the President of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). The Royal Aeronautical Society is the world’s oldest and only professional body dedicated to the global aerospace, aviation and space sectors. Kerissa also serves on the RAeS Board of Trustees.
Kerissa Khan holds a Master of Engineering degree with Honours in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Glasgow. She is a technical expert in complex and integrated aerospace systems and a thought-leader in sustainable future aviation. She leads innovation for the £300 million Future Flight Challenge - the UK Government’s national programme for electric, autonomous and sustainable air mobility.
She is a member of the UK Trade Association for Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space Advanced Air Mobility Group. She has published the Future Flight 2030 Vision and Strategy for zero-carbon air mobility and Future Flight Social Science Research Forward Strategy, in addition to socio-economic and market outlook studies for novel aviation solutions. She has also shaped the UK Transport Vision 2050.
Kerissa has been recognised in the 2022 Power Book, the definitive guide to the most influential people in the eVTOL industry for her leadership in future air mobility markets.
Previous roles include research, design and development of world-leading aerospace systems for a wide range of military, commercial and business aircraft, including the Airbus A320, A321, A330, A350, Boeing 787, Bombardier Global 7500/8000, Tornado and Eurofighter jets. She was in charge of programme management of the Aerospace Growth Partnership Strategy Group, responsible for developing the industrial strategy for the UK aerospace sector. She also led UK corporate affairs for Safran, the French international high-technology group operating in the aerospace, defence and space markets.
Kerissa is a founding signatory of the UK Government Defence Aviation Net Zero Strategy Charter, Women in Defence Charter and Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter.