EAASI Elects New President and Board Following Leadership Transition

During the Extraordinary Annual General Meeting held on 19 November, EAASI members elected the Board for the 2026 term and confirmed a leadership transition for the Association.

After completing his term as President, Florian Romanowski stepped down, marking the end of a three-year mandate. In his closing remarks, he expressed his appreciation to the EAASI community, thanking members for their trust and collaboration, and acknowledging the dedication of the Board as well as the work of the EAASI team throughout his presidency.

Following the election, the Board appointed Dr. Roland Stengele as the new President of EAASI. With more than two decades of experience as CEO and shareholder of BSF Swissphoto, Dr. Stengele brings extensive industry knowledge and a strong commitment to cooperation across the European aerial surveying sector. “With the right balance of cooperation and competition, and by working closely with partners across Europe, we can ensure EAASI continues to grow in relevance and impact”, said Stengele.

Simon Musaeus was elected as Vice President, while Rachel Tidmarsh was re-elected as Treasurer. Musaeus is a long-standing leader in the European aerial surveying sector and was one of EAASI's founding board members in 2019, having previously served as the Association's President from its inception until 2023. As Principal at SWM Advisory, he works as an independent geospatial business advisor and author. He previously held senior leadership roles at Hexagon Geosystems and COWI, where he was involved in geospatial content and aerial mapping at an executive level.

Rachel Tidmarsh is CEO of UK-based Bluesky International and has been a member of the EAASI Board since the Association's early days, continuing to represent Bluesky as one of its founding member companies. With more than 25 years of experience in the geospatial sector, Tidmarsh has led Bluesky International's growth in national and international markets.

New EAASI Executive Board:

• President: Dr. Roland Stengele (BSF Swissphoto)

• Vice President: Simon Musaeus (SWM Advisory)

• Treasurer: Rachel Tidmarsh (Bluesky International)

EAASI Board 2026

• Engelbert Breg (Vexcel Imaging)

• Aicke Damrau (GeoFly)

• Søren Jespersen (Hexagon)

• Patrik Meixner (PRIMIS)

• Luca Rampa (Italian Remote Sensing)

• Florian Romanowski (OPEGIEKA)

To support the Association’s expanding activities, two key roles have been instrumental in shaping EAASI’s operational and strategic development. After hosting its inaugural Partners Summit in December 2019, EAASI quickly established the event as a cornerstone of its work. Held annually—including virtually during the pandemic—the Summit has become the key meeting point for the European aerial surveying community, providing a trusted space for dialogue, exchange, and strategic reflection.

To sustain this momentum and ensure effective coordination, Marcos Martínez-Fernández was appointed Secretary General in September 2020. His role marked a key step in EAASI’s professionalisation, strengthening day-to-day operations while providing continuity and strategic guidance for the Association’s long-term development.

As EAASI’s visibility and engagement with members, stakeholders, and institutions grew, communication became an essential pillar of its work. In October 2022, Ada Perello

joined EAASI as Communications Manager, reinforcing the Association’s capacity to articulate its positions, highlight the value of the aerial surveying industry, and support member engagement through structured communication initiatives.

EAASI looks forward to working closely with the newly elected Board and leadership team to further strengthen the Association and advance the role of aerial surveying across Europe.