EnTrust Global today announced the expansion of its dedicated aviation team with the hiring of Ben Pughe-Morgan and Matthew Eddy. Ben and Matt will join John Morabito and Adam Cooperstock, who joined the firm in 2018.
Gregg S. Hymowitz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EnTrust Global, noted, "We continue to significantly expand our direct investment platform focused on Real Assets, to provide proprietary attractive investment opportunities to our global investors."
Ben Pughe-Morgan will join as a Senior Vice President based in London. Ben has nearly 20 years' experience investing in the commercial aircraft industry. Prior to joining EnTrust, he worked at DVB Bank SE as Head of Originations for the Deucalion Aviation Funds, DVB's in-house aircraft investment fund. Within DVB/Deucalion's investment business, Ben was responsible for global airline and lessor origination, as well as deal structuring and sourcing of senior and mezzanine non-recourse debt. Ben also has capital markets experience as an investor across all tranches of securitized structures and as an ABS structurer and servicer. Ben has originated the purchase of over 170 aircraft with a combined deal value of over $3 billion. These deals have included new delivery aircraft, mid-life assets and aircraft disassembly transactions. He has also been involved in the sourcing and negotiation of equity joint ventures with American, Korean, Japanese and Chinese institutional investors.
Matt Eddy will join as a Vice President based in New York. Matt joins EnTrust from CIT Bank, where he served as the Lead Underwriter and Portfolio Manager for an approximately $800 million senior debt book backed by commercial aircraft collateral. Matt brings close to ten years' of aviation industry experience – ranging from credit risk, to lending, leasing and airline fleet strategy. Prior to his latest position, Matt held an instrumental role in Fleet Management at JetBlue Airways, as well as various roles at CIT Aerospace (including roles relating to pricing, transaction management, strategic initiatives and joint ventures).
"We are continuing to expand our aviation business globally, and we are excited and fortunate to have Ben and Matt join EnTrust Global," said John Morabito, Portfolio Manager of the EnTrust Aviation strategy and Managing Director.