Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo, new figure of aviation in Africa
Gabonese airline Afrijet recently appointed Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo as Managing Director in Cameroon. Her mission will be to support the development of Afrijet in Cameroon and contribute to its outreach in this member country of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).
Par Bylkiss Mentari
Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo, Cameroonian national, began her career in the technology and then banking sectors, before joining the senior team of Cameroon Airlines in 2010.
In 2018, she joined Cronos Airlines Group in Equatorial Guinea as Strategic and Business Development Director. These experiences led her to found HEFA Group in 2019, a company with the objective of facilitating business development in Africa.
At the same time, she founded the NGO Young African Aviation Professional Association (YAAPA) in 2014, where she notably created a scholarship program for underprivileged children living in rural areas in Africa, to encourage them to forge careers in aviation.
« The appointment of Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo is a real asset for our company »
Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo was the first African woman to receive the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) « High-Flying Leader » Award in 2019. In the same year, she won the Commonwealth Point of Light Award. In December 2021, she was appointed Independent Expert of the French Observatory of Sustainable Aviation (OAD).
Marc Gaffajoli, Afrijet’s director said « The appointment of Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo is a real asset for our company. With a rich and solid experience in the air sector, her presence at our side will allow Afrijet to accelerate the development of its offer in Cameroon and increase its influence there. This appointment is also part of our desire to attract aviation talent.”
« Aviation sector has a rightful place in Africa »
« The aviation sector has a rightful place in Africa, » said Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo. « Afrijet’s vision is to bring together the populations of the CEMAC zone. This is a great project when we know that we are the 5th least served region. Afrijet’s desire to facilitate and reinvigorate sub-regional integration, in effect since 2018, is also mine. I am confident that together we can achieve great success. »
In line with the company’s desire to pursue its development in Cameroon and the approaching summer period, Afrijet plans to serve Cameroon with 15 rotations per week, from mid-June 2022 (8 Libreville-Douala, 2 Malabo-Douala, 2 Bata-Douala, 3 Libreville-Yaoundé).