TEAM

CHAIRMAN OF CDB AVIATION

Mr. Xuedong Wang, the Chairman of CDB Aviation, has extensive working experience in China government organization and banks. Chairman Wang was served as Vice President of CDB Shanghai Branch and President of CDB Hunan Branch, while now is the Chairman of CDB Leasing. With working experience in investment and finance for more than 30 years, Chairman Wang has made great achievements and honored several China national awards. He achieved a master degree of Central University of Finance and Economics. With a wide international perspective, he went for further study in University of Wales with scholarship awarded by UK government and also got short- term trainings in Goethe University Frankfurt and USA MIT Sloan School of Management. In 2016, led by Chairman Wang, CDB Leasing, the sole shareholder of CDB Aviation went public in HK successfully as the sole financial leasing listed company in China.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Patrick is our Chief Executive Officer with three decades of experience in finance, marketing, sales and P&L oversight. Prior to assuming the role of CEO, Patrick led the remarkable success of our global commercial team as President & Chief Commercial Officer since January 2017, expanding the reach and scale of our platform. He has been at the top of the airline Leasing sector for many years, including being a founding shareholder of Avolon leasing and served as CEO in their joint venture with Wells Fargo. Patrick served as Senior Vice President, Marketing for RBS Aviation Capital (now SMBC). He also held the role of Vice President Marketing at GE Capital Aviation Services, where he spearheaded the development of the company’s operations in the Middle East and Africa. Patrick has also held executive positions at Diageo, Deloitte and Touche. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Brendan is our Chief Financial Officer, based in Dublin. Brendan has two decades of aircraft leasing and multinational experience, with a unique blend of cross-functional experience in financial, operational, and functional leadership roles. Prior to CDB Aviation, Brendan spent eleven years at DAE Capital in various leadership roles, including as part of AWAS. He also held various executive and managerial roles at GE and Kerry Group.

CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER

Lucas is our Chief Technical Officer and has worked in the Aviation sector for over 30 years. With extensive experience in leasing and operating in multi-national organisations, he has a reputation for taking start-up outfits and making them world-leading. As a member of the Avolon leadership team he was instrumental in taking this start-up lessor to the world’s third largest within seven years. He has turned around a number of under-performing companies and made them profitable, including the rationalization of three varied fleets into one coherent operating fleet within three years.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Nick is based in Dublin as Chief Operating Officer of the company. Nick is a seasoned aircraft leasing professional with more than 16 years of experience in asset finance, working for lessors exclusively owned by large financial institutions. His background spans a number of key operational areas, such as: risk, commercial negotiation, contract management, and aircraft deliveries. In his most recent role, Nick was credited with establishing and leading the industry’s first aircraft leasing innovation lab. Previously, he served as Head of Credit Risk, Head of Transaction Management, Senior Vice President, Commercial Negotiation, as well as several other roles in contract management, aircraft deliveries, and funding. Nick started his career in The Royal Bank of Scotland’s rail leasing business before progressing to their Structured Asset Finance division. Nick holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Leeds.

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Peter is our Chief Marketing Officer, with more than three decades of experience in the aircraft leasing and airline industries. During his career, Peter has held senior executive roles at leading global lessors, including BOC Aviation, ORIX, Pembroke, GECAS, and Guinness Peat Aviation. Prior to CDB Aviation, Peter served as BOC Aviation’s Executive Vice President and Head of Airline Leasing and Sales for Americas, Europe, and Africa. Peter has a long track record of managing large and multilocation technical and marketing/sales teams, and has extensive relationships at senior levels with the world’s leading airlines and OEMs.

CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER

Craig is our Chief Investment Officer with two decades of experience in the aviation and aerospace industries. With an extensive track record of working with stakeholders from across the aircraft leasing, OEM, airline, MRO, and investment communities, Craig heads our strategic investments, covering M&A, aircraft portfolio acquisitions, aircraft trading, and financing alternatives. Prior to CDB Aviation, Craig was CEO and Co-founder of the aviation consulting firm Plane View Partners. He also held executive, management or consultant roles with leading global aviation companies, including International Lease Finance Corporation (AerCap), Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (Accenture), TACA Airlines (Avianca), and Bain & Company.

HEAD OF TRADING

John is our Head of Trading with three decades of experience in banking, structured finance, and aircraft operating leasing. His extensive background encompasses lending, financing, trading, pricing, portfolio management, aircraft acquisition, and strategic partnership development. Prior to CDB Aviation, John was Regional Director, Europe & Asia – Financial Institutions Group, at CIT Aerospace International. He also served as Director of TC-CIT Aviation Ireland, a joint venture between CIT Aerospace and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation. Previously, he was Senior Vice President, Capital Strategies, at ORIX Aviation. John also held executive positions at Fresh Mortgages Limited, Investec Bank, IIU Ltd, and ABN AMRO Bank N.V. He is an associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

HEAD OF EMEA

Paul is our Head of EMEA, based in Dublin. His professional background spans nearly three decades in the aviation industry since his career began at Aer Lingus. Prior to joining CDB Aviation, Paul has held various executive roles for leading organizations in aircraft leasing and aviation finance, including Airbus Financial Services, SMBC, AerCap, and, most recently, Avolon. He has led cross-functional deal teams in a variety of transactions, including remarketing, sale and leaseback, and orderbook placements.

HEAD OF ASIA PACIFIC

Sign is our Head of Asia Pacific. Sign has more than a decade of experience in aviation finance and legal, and has spent nearly a decade of his career working in Asia. Prior to joining CDB Aviation in February 2017, Sign served as Vice President, Legal, at International Lease Finance Corporation and AerCap (post the 2014 acquisition). He advised leasing teams on legal matters and led aircraft lease negotiations across Asia Pacific. He also served at Paul Hastings LLP, assisting clients in the aerospace, defense, manufacturing, entertainment, and technology industries.

HEAD OF COMMERCIAL, THE AMERICAS

Luís is our Head of Commercial, the Americas, based in Fort Lauderdale. Luís has over two decades of experience in aviation and aircraft leasing, with his career predominantly focused on marketing and sales activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to CDB Aviation, he served as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager Latin America for GECAS. Previously, he held senior sales positions within Airbus, based in both Toulouse and Miami, where he cultivated the manufacturer’s relationships with airlines in Latin America.