Samuel Engel

Samuel manages the Innovation function for ICF. He brings design thinking, advanced analytics and customer-centered collaboration to ICF’s clients and business stakeholders.

Prior to that, Samuel led ICF’s aviation group, serving airlines, airports, aircraft finance, and aerospace and MRO. A recognized expert on airline economics and strategy, he has developed a reputation for guiding organizations through complex issues that have roots in multiple departments. His analyses for airlines, investors, and governments have supported multimillion-dollar investments and litigation results, as well as decisions to pursue new business lines, routes, and aircraft purchases.

Samuel has expertly led full-scale restructuring and transformation engagements. He led the team advising the government of Bahrain to turn around over five years of losses at the country’s national airline, Gulf Air. As part of this work, he built consensus among senior government officials to support a financing package, renegotiate aircraft purchase agreements, and address organizational efficiency. Samuel put in place interim executives and executive advisors who enabled the airline to halve losses within months and subsequently reach a break-even point.

In another transformation assignment, Samuel designed and supported the operational integration plan for an airline that operates 400 aircraft across bases on five different continents. The objective of this plan was not only to reduce costs but to build data-driven business structures that support safety, customer service, and scalable operations. For this client, as for others, he remains with the airline to ensure the plan’s successful implementation.