Aviation Global Leaders

In this episode, Anne-Bart celebrates TrueNoord’s significant milestone of inducting its 100th aircraft—a remarkable achievement since the company’s inception in 2016. Despite a two-year growth delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TrueNoord has experienced a surge in activity, acquiring over 40 aircraft in the last two years and expanding its team of professionals across Amsterdam, Dublin, Singapor...

Welcome to the latest episode of Airline Economics and KPMG’s Aviation Global Leaders podcast. Today, John Evans, CEO and founder of Azorra, joins Victoria Tozer-Pennington, editor of Airline Economics to discuss the company’s growth in commercial aircraft leasing, focusing on regional and alternative assets such as Embraer E2s and Airbus A220s. With a fleet worth $2.7 billion and spanning more th...

In this episode, Victoria Tozer-Pennington, editor of Airline Economics speaks with Gerry Laderman, an independent airline expert who was formerly CFO of United Airlines. The conversation explores the airline industry’s impressive recovery after the global pandemic, while Laderman shares insights on the rapid resurgence of leisure travel, the gradual return of business traffic, and shifting indust...

In this episode, we are joined by Helane Becker, Managing Director at TD Cowen, who speaks with Joe O’Mara, on the shifting demand environment for airlines. Becker shares her thoughts on changing travel patterns, with hybrid work influencing Americans’ travel preferences and international travel on the rise. She discusses how geopolitical risks, rising fuel costs, and challenges like pilot shortag...

In this insightful episode, Joe O’Mara is joined by Betsy Snyder to explore the current state of the aviation bond market for lessors and airlines. Snyder shares her expertise on how lessors are leveraging unsecured debt, while airlines are relying on internal cash flow due to reduced aircraft deliveries. She also highlights the critical role of investment grade ratings in reducing capital costs f...

In this episode, Kieran O’Brien interviews Marc Iarchy, Partner at World Star Aviation, to discuss the evolving landscape of the aviation market in the post-COVID era. As a mid-tier lessor with $1.9 billion in assets, World Star Aviation focuses on midlife passenger aircraft, cargo, and engines. Marc dives into the current market dynamics, including the overpricing of midlife assets and a shift in...

In this exclusive interview with Joe O'Mara, Eamonn Bane, CEO of Macquarie AirFinance, shares insights into the company’s impressive growth and the trends shaping the aviation leasing industry. Since its founding in 2006, Macquarie AirFinance has built a global fleet of 320 aircraft, with significant market shares in Asia and Europe. Eamonn discusses the challenges posed by supply chain constraint...

In this engaging interview with Joe O'Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG Ireland, Mike Inglese, CEO of Aircastle, delves into the dynamics of the aviation leasing market amid strong demand and OEM production delays. With a portfolio of 260 aircraft and $8 billion in managed assets, Aircastle is navigating supply chain challenges by exploring new opportunities in the secondary market and rampin...

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer of Falko, to explore the company’s impressive growth and evolving strategies in the leasing market. From nearly doubling its fleet size since 2011 to navigating post-pandemic lease rate recoveries, Hughes discusses the key challenges and opportunities shaping the future of aviation. Stay tuned as he shares insights on global d...

In this episode, Kieran O’Brien from KPMG Ireland sits down with DAE’s Firoz Tarapore, to discuss the current state of the aviation industry. With a fleet of 500 aircraft valued at $18 billion, DAE is a major player in both aircraft leasing and maintenance. Firoz shares insights on robust demand, the impact of OEM supply issues, and how lease rates and residual values are holding up despite challe...

Join us for an in-depth conversation as Clemens Metz, Managing Director of Corporate Finance at American Airlines, interviews Meghan Montana, the airline’s Treasurer. Together, they explore American Airlines’ strategic priorities for 2025 and the challenges shaping the industry. Key discussion points: Strong domestic demand and capacity management strategies Enhancing premium services and loyalty...

In this episode of Aviation Global Leaders, we’re joined by Norm Liu, CEO of Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC), a leading aircraft leasing firm managing a fleet of 230 aircraft valued at over $3 billion. Liu provides a detailed look at the current state of the aviation industry, from strong demand outpacing pre-pandemic levels to the challenges of geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions. He...

In this episode of Aviation Global Leaders, we speak with Greg Conlon, CEO of High Ridge Aviation, about the company’s asset management platform, which has quickly gained traction since its launch two years ago in partnership with PIMCO. Conlon shares his insights into the aviation market’s recovery post-COVID, highlighting regional variations such as Southeast Asia’s slower rebound due to debt an...

Welcome to the latest episode of the Aviation Global Leaders podcast. Today, we’re joined by James Meyler, CEO of ORIX Aviation, who shares his expert perspective on the aviation market's performance in 2025 in a conversation with Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG. From the industry’s return to normal demand patterns and global profits projected at $20 billion to insights on the US over...

Welcome to the latest episode of the Airline Economics and KPMG’s Aviation Global Leaders podcast series, where Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG, is joined by Andy Cronin, CEO of Avolon, who shares insights on the company’s growth and strategic outlook for 2025. With the largest order book of any lessor, Avolon has seen a significant increase in demand for aircraft, with 200 new aircra...

Welcome to another episode of Aviation Global Leaders, brought to you by Airline Economics and KPMG. Today, Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG, is joined by Peter Barrett, CEO of SMBC Aviation Capital, who discusses the evolving aircraft leasing landscape. From navigating the shift from post-COVID recovery to the challenges of supply chain issues, Peter offers valuable insights on the re...

Welcome to the Aviation Global Leaders podcast series, where we bring you exclusive insights from the industry's top executives. In this episode, Aengus Kelly, CEO of AerCap, explores the key challenges facing aviation in 2025 in a conversation with Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG. From labour cost inflation squeezing margins to the impact of new technologies on fleet reliability, Kel...

Welcome to another episode of the Aviation Global Leaders Podcast, brought to you by Airline Economics and KPMG. In this episode, we sit down with Benyamin Ismail, CEO of AirAsia X, who shares how the airline has rebounded post-COVID with strong yields, a simplified corporate structure, and ambitious growth plans. From expanding into new regions to renewing its fleet with cutting-edge Airbus model...

In this episode of the Aviation Global Leaders podcast, Vinodh Srinivasan, Managing Director, Co-Head of the Structured Credit Group at Mizuho, in conversation with Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG, discusses the strong performance of aircraft lessors over the past 12 to 18 months. Srinivasan explains how favourable lease rates and reduced spreads have supported the market, despite the...

In this episode of the Aviation Global Leaders podcast, Olivier Trauchessec, Head of Global Aviation at MUFG, discusses the post-pandemic recovery of the aviation industry with Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG. Trauchessec notes the strong rebound by 2023 across most regions, with the exception of China, and highlights the challenges facing the industry, including overcapacity, cost pr...

In this episode of the Aviation Global Leaders 2025 podcast, we’re thrilled to bring you an in-depth conversation between Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG, and Mark Streeter, Head of Aviation Credit Research at JP Morgan. Streeter offers a comprehensive analysis of the 2024 airline landscape, highlighting the strength of high-margin carriers like Delta and United, the challenges facing...

In this episode of the Aviation Global Leaders podcast, we’re joined by Joe McConnell, Deputy Co-Chief Investment Officer at Castlelake, in conversation with Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG, to explore the resilience of air travel demand, which has grown 1.5-2 times GDP over the past 50 years—even through economic downturns and a pandemic. McConnell discusses how supply constraints ar...

In this episode of the Aviation Global Leaders podcast, we are joined by Austin Wiley, CEO of SKY Leasing, for a discussion on how the aviation market evolved throughout 2024. In conversation with Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG, Wiley highlights the impressive 12% growth in RPK, the increasing demand for international and long-haul traffic, and the influence of geopolitical risks and...

In this episode of the Aviation Global Leaders podcast, Joe O’Mara, Head of Aviation Finance at KPMG, is joined by Robert Korn, President and Co-Founder of Carlyle Aviation Partners, to discuss the company’s $12.1 billion in assets under management, which includes nearly 400 commercial aircraft, including aircraft on order, leased to over 110 global airlines. Korn highlights the robust demand reco...

In this episode of the Aviation Global Leaders podcast, Steven Townend, CEO of BOC Aviation, offers an in-depth look at the factors driving 2024’s aviation resurgence. He explores Asia’s rapid return to pre-pandemic demand levels, domestic travel strength in China, and the ongoing supply chain issues affecting aircraft deliveries. Townend discusses the rise in lease rates driven by supply-demand i...