Air Partner, the global aviation services group, is pleased to announce that Joe Halanen has been appointed Emergency Planning Division Manager, effective immediately. Joe will be based in Air Partner’s UK headquarters at Gatwick. Joe joins Air Partner with 11 years’ experience from various roles in the emergency management and airline industries. He has worked in local government emergency management in London, in operations management for British Airways at Heathrow and within the UK's central government in Whitehall. Commenting on his appointment, Joe said: “Air Partner has an industry leading Emergency Planning Division and I am delighted to be heading up the team going forwards. Many organisations operate in potentially hazardous locations and having a plan in place to rapidly evacuate staff is absolutely crucial in discharging their duty of care. I look forward to ensuring our clients are fully prepared should they find their people are in potentially dangerous situations.” Richard Smith, Head of Products at Air Partner, said: “At Air Partner, we are extremely proud of our Emergency Planning Division. Our track record in delivering rapid and safe air evacuations when our customers are most in need of support is second to none. Joe’s experience and background will undoubtedly strengthen our service offering in this business area.” Air Partner’s Emergency Planning Division provides 24-hour air evacuation planning and implementation services from anywhere in the world using chartered aircraft to ensure a safe, secure and rapid exit of personnel to an agreed destination or safe haven. The company operates a full 24-hour flight operations centre 365 days a year, ensuring clients have instant access to its services, wherever they are in the world and whatever the time.