Irish drone delivery company Manna Aero has announced the appointment of Kenny Jacobs as its Executive Chairman and President, marking a significant addition to the company’s leadership team as it accelerates its international growth ambitions in the United States and the United Kingdom. While Manna is best known for its pioneering work in drone delivery, Jacobs’ appointment is notable because of the extensive aviation experience he brings to the role. Few executives in Ireland have had a greater influence on commercial aviation over the past two decades.
Jacobs is perhaps best known within the aviation industry for his time at Ryanair, where he served as Chief Marketing Officer during a transformative period for Europe’s largest airline. He played a key role in the carrier’s customer-focused evolution, helping to modernise the airline’s digital offering and strengthen its commercial position as Ryanair expanded across Europe. More recently, Jacobs served as Chief Executive of daa, the operator of Dublin and Cork airports. During his tenure, he led one of Ireland’s most important aviation infrastructure organisations, overseeing the continued recovery and growth of airport operations in the post-pandemic era. His experience managing major aviation assets, engaging with regulators and developing long-term growth strategies provides valuable expertise for a company operating in the highly regulated drone aviation sector.
Manna Aero is entering a new phase as it focuses on expanding commercial drone delivery services in markets where regulatory frameworks are more mature and supportive of advanced air mobility operations. Having already completed more than 300,000 deliveries, Manna is positioning itself as a global leader in the emerging drone delivery market. What makes Jacobs such an interesting addition is that his background bridges both traditional aviation and emerging aerospace technologies. His experience with airlines and airports gives him an understanding of aviation regulation, operational scaling and commercial partnerships, skills that will be increasingly important as drone operators seek to integrate their services into the wider aviation ecosystem.
Manna founder and CEO Bobby Healy described Jacobs as one of the few executives with experience scaling aviation, retail and digital businesses internationally, while Jacobs himself praised Manna’s world-leading drone technology and its potential for global expansion.
Main photo: Bobby Healy, Oaklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Kenny Jacobs at the launch of the company’s US Headquarters at Tulsa, Oaklahoma.
