New CEO for CDB Aviation
CDB Aviation has announced that the Board of Directors selected Jie Chen to become the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Chen will take the helm in early January 2023, replacing Patrick Hannigan whose retirement caps six years of leading the evolution of CDB Aviation into a globally positioned top-tier lessor. The announcement is the culmination of a planned transition that will ensure a smooth leadership changeover and lay a re-energized foundation for the lessor’s next phase of growth.
During more than three decades of exemplary aviation industry experience, Mr. Chen’s immediate focus will be on advancing collaboration with the lessor’s airline customers, shareholders, and other stakeholders to support the industry recovery while building on the team’s strong relationships and the strength of its full-service, global platform to capitalize on emergent market opportunities.
Commenting as his appointment was announced, the new CEO of CDB Aviation, Jie Chen said, “I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead CDB Aviation and its remarkable team in advancing the company’s long-term vision, building on a strong track record of business performance and market success, while leveraging the unique capabilities and resources of our shareholder. With the industry’s rapidly evolving requirements, especially in the area of sustainability, our path forward will focus on delivering innovativeness and stewardship that meet the changing needs of the global airline sector and generate industry-leading shareholder value.”
Mr. Chen joins CDB Aviation from Air Lease Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President, Managing Director of Asia, and President of ALC Hong Kong, leading commercial and sales efforts in Asia, which included the execution of the company’s long-term strategy and the development of new and existing markets in the region. Prior to ALC, Mr. Chen worked at International Lease Finance Corporation, serving most recently as Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Asia, leading ILFC’s sales and marketing activities across Asia Pacific. Mr. Chen started his aviation career as a project manager in the leasing division of China International Trust & Investment Corporation. He holds a Master of Science degree in Management from the State University of New York.
Also commenting was the outgoing Chief Executive Officer Patrick Hannigan summed up his tenure with the company by expressing that “it has been a great pleasure to have worked with the industry’s best-in-class team in establishing CDB Aviation as a leading global lessor with an increasingly influential role in the marketplace. I am thankful for the opportunity and confidently leave the company in the capable hands of Mr. Chen and the execution-driven team to lead CDB Aviation into the future.”
Related Posts
CDB Leases Three A321neos to KLM →
CDB Signs Lease Agreements with Turkish Airlines for MAX Aircraft →
CDB Aviation Delivers China’s First A330 P2F →
