Emily Richards, Commercial Executive, Magma Aviation, has been successfully named Employee of the Year 2022, in the ‘Soul of the year’ category. This achievement recognises staff members that demonstrate true dedication and commitment to their roles throughout the year. Winners of this accolade win brilliant results with confidence, modesty, and all-round positivity to colleagues and clients alike. Indeed, Emily personifies this spirit. Some of our most senior customers have spoken extremely highly of the commitment she has to her role, being available around the clock during peak times for the business while taking it all in her stride. Her strong commercial acumen is at the core of her success, and she’s delivered secured some fantastic ad-hoc flying for Magma throughout 2022.
True to the award, Emily was extremely modest when accepting, adding; “I still can’t quite believe it! I’m truly honoured to be recognised by not only the Magma team, but throughout the whole ASG family. There are thousands of incredible people in the group, and to be honest, I was over the moon to even be nominated.”
Emily actually joined Magma Aviation by chance. Working in the aviation industry, she had to work with another Avia Solutions Group subsidiary, Chapman Freeborn, and initially inquired about joining the team there. As luck would have it, the role at Magma was ready and waiting for her to apply. And the rest as they say, is history.
Based in the UK, Emily visited Avia Solutions Group, Vilnius to receive her award and to be congratulated from staff across the group. “Connected, determined, and empowered” are the three words she described as embodying the group family and we have to say, we agree with her!
It hasn’t all been plain sailing though. 2022 was extremely tough for the aviation industry as a whole with staff shortages, strikes, and tight economic circumstances globally. Emily’s take on how to deal with these trying times is to never give up. “A bad situation can always be turned around in some way. No matter how small, an opportunity to be positive and to move forward is always there in some form.” In fact, Emily is aware that forecasts for 2023 outline that there could be market-drop off in her sector and she’s looking to use any downtime to nurture her existing clients. “It’s simply an opportunity to continue to build the incredibly important relationships we hold, rather than looking at ‘what next’ each day. It’s care and attention that are the foundations for long-lasting business relationships.”
Emily candidly puts it that “aviation never sleeps”. Being lucky enough to live in a rural area of England, she likes to recharge by taking her dog for a walk through the fields to refresh, think, and to reenergise. When asked about what may have contributed or influenced her professional success, Emily talked about her interest in general learning. “It may sound strange, but I will happily sit and listen to experts talk about any subject in any field to learn more. To excel in your career path, I believe that a hunger for knowledge can be a powerful thing.”
With hindsight, we also asked Emily what career advice she’d give to the younger version of herself. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help! When I first started out in my career, I was terrified of making mistakes or not knowing the answers. The truth is everyone is learning. The most efficient and productive teams are those that lean on each other for advice and support and to learn from their colleague’s expertise.”
As we move into the third month of 2023 already, we asked Emily what criteria she’d set for the winner of the ‘Soul of the Year’ award this time around. “I’d be looking for an individual that has built good relationships both within their own team, the wider ASG group, and their customers beyond.” Our soul of the year for 2022 puts people first across the wider spectrum of both Avia Solutions Group and the aviation business community at large, and we once again congratulate her for demonstrating such a fine example of service excellence over the past year.
Vilnius, Lithuania
