CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. (“CDB Leasing”), announced today that former GECAS executive Ryan Barrett has joined its commercial team as Head of Commercial, Asia Pacific.
The continued build-out of the lessor’s commercial leadership is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen CDB Aviation’s strategic presence in key markets around the world. The appointment comes on the heels of the recent addition of Michelle Wu as Head of Commercial, Greater China.
“Ryan is a highly regarded commercial executive with a vast network of relationships in the global airline community, who will enable us to leverage market opportunities and stimulate further growth,” commented Peter Goodman, CDB Aviation Chief Marketing Officer. “In-depth understanding of airline-lessor dynamics, specifically in the areas of transactional execution, deal origination, and negotiation, is key to anticipating and addressing the needs of airlines.”
Barrett’s two-decade-long aviation career is rooted in his extensive knowledge of airline business models and aircraft technical and finance aspects. Barrett is joining CDB Aviation from GECAS, where he held senior leadership roles in sales and marketing. Most recently, he was Senior Vice President Commercial, with responsibility for the full lease transaction lifecycle, and leading the lessor’s business development activities across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. Barrett began his career at GE Aviation in the U.S., where he served in both technical and sales capacities, ending as Regional Sales Director in Dubai, overseeing customer strategies and commercial campaigns for new engine and MRO services sales in the Middle East. Barrett holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA). He is an FAA-licensed Airframe and Powerplant technician.
Ryan Barrett, the newly appointed Head of Commercial, Asia Pacific, expressed his enthusiasm about “joining forces with one of the industry’s preeminent leasing platforms, hailed for its utmost commitment to building long-term relationships. I look forward to spearheading efforts in Asia Pacific’s fastest-growing markets, bringing us closer to airline stakeholders in the region and leveraging the scale of our recognized world-class operation to provide best-of-breed solutions.”
Patrick Hannigan, CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Ryan’s appointment speaks to our platform’s unique position among lessors to attract top industry talent. Ryan shares our team’s vision of bringing the value and benefits of a true global, full-service aircraft lessor, our shareholder, and other stakeholders to support the industry recovery while building for the future.”