Meet the team changing the face of private air travel.
Gabriella Somerville FRSA
Founder & Managing Director
Gabriella Somerville brings over 25 years of experience working in both commercial and business aviation.
Over the past two and a half decades Gabriella has served in companies ranging from Virgin Atlantic and British Airways to Bombardier and VistaJet. A strong connection to her customers, extensive knowledge of aviation, and proven skills for improving systems have caused her rise through the ranks in the industry. Beginning her early career as a cabin attendant, she was quickly promoted all the way to Vice President of Sales; eventually using her knowledge, experience, and personal savings to launch her own private aircraft brokerage.
In 2009 Gabriella founded ConnectJets Limited using her own seed capital to finance the venture. The business was an instant success and returned the seed capital she had invested within three months. By year two ConnectJets sales turned over just under £4m, with zero debt.
As Founder and Managing Director of ConnectJets, Gabriella became the first female sales agent for Piaggio Aerospace, and is regularly invited to deliver keynote speeches to both Government Officials and Private Enterprise both in the UK and abroad.
Key to enhancing ConnectJets position is Gabriella’s continual commitment to develop new products and services, leverage the potential of emerging markets, and building value added quality partnerships. To that end and ever conscious of the Aviation sector’s commitment to be Net Zero by 2050, Gabriella believes the future of private travel lies in sustainable technologies.
This belief in a sustainable future and her commitment to being part of that collective voice, inspired Gabriella to launch ConnectSkies earlier this year.
The ConnectSkies mission is to accelerate the transition to zero emissions within private air travel by using a combination of fuel efficient aircraft such as the Avanti EVO with Sustainable Alternative Fuels (SAF) while simultaneously transitioning to electric and hydrogen technology with models such as the all-electric Eviation Alice. ConnectSkies provides the perfect platform to support the needs of the business traveler while doing so sustainably and leading the way in the global pledge of de-carbonising the skies.
In addition to being a passionate advocate for sustainability, Gabriella’s commitment to charitable causes remains close to her heart. She was selected as mentor for Sir Richard Branson’s non-profit Entrepreneurial Programme, has raised over £150,000 for Children’s Hospices and Military Charities, and has organised several charitable events including two run ashore events for RAF Odiham Squadron 18/22 and a Military Ball in London raising money for Help for Heroes.
Gabriella’s life has been dedicated to service and changing the world for the better. Her commitment to creating an environment where future generations can breathe freely on an earth that has been cared for by the generations before them is foundational in the perseverance it takes to continuously bring the most sustainable aircraft available today and in the future to businesses, individuals, and governments, so that a sustainable future may be enjoyed by all.
Reina Rose
Chief Development Officer
Reina Rose brings a decade of business aviation experience and a lifetime of state-of-the-art aircraft enthusiasm to ConnectSkies. Reina’s love for business aviation began when she was just four years old and her father moved the family across the globe to work for the flight department of His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei. Stepping into a Gulfstream aircraft as a young child changed the course of her life forever and ignited a love of business aviation that would propel her career to new heights.
Reina started her first business right out of college in 2003 and enjoyed several years of success in other industries before her career in aviation would finally takeoff. In 2010 Reina was given the opportunity to sell aircraft charters for Legacy Aviation Group where she was quickly promoted to VP of marketing.
With a mind to gain greater understanding of passenger experience Reina committed to working in FBO’s and later as cabin crew for various confidential aircraft owners in the US and Europe. As she increased her experience in day-to-day operations of the aircraft she had previously worked to sell, she was highly recommended for the work she had done as well as awarded a scholarship by the NBAA in 2015. Seeing a micro-niche in the business aviation market Reina began a small yet profitable aircraft interior decor company, serving corporate aircraft owners on a referral basis.
Reina met Gabriella Sommerville while working in Monaco in 2016 and they remained business acquaintances for the next four years. In 2020 Reina happily partnered with Gabriella when offered a role in business development for ConnectSkies. Bringing her decade of aviation experience and lifetime of enthusiasm for corporate aircraft Reina is excited for ConnectSkies to lead the aircraft industry into the sustainability age.