Initially trained as an Air Traffic Controller, Owen spent the first 21 years of his career in New Zealand working for the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport, which in 1987 was transformed, into the Airways Corporation of New Zealand.

During the last eight years of his time with Airways Corporation he held various senior management positions in the areas of ATC Operations and Training. Owen then spent 5 years with ICAO in the position of Regional Officer Air Traffic Management, based at the Asia Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand.

For the last 5½ years Owen has held the position of Manager International Operations for Cathay Pacific Airways based in Hong Kong, China. Owen is Vice Chairman of the IATA Operations Committee; Chairman of the IATA Asia Pacific North Asia Regional Co-ordination Group and a Member of the IATA Middle East Regional Co-ordination Group.