KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 1): Harry Forsythe has been appointed as the deputy chief executive officer (CEO) and chief commercial officer of Asia Aviation Capital Ltd (AACL), AirAsia Bhd’s aircraft leasing unit.
In a statement today, AACL said that Forsythe’s appointment is effective from today.
AACL said Forsythe, a British and Australian dual citizen, has comprehensive knowledge of aircraft leasing with over 30 years of global expertise in sales and marketing across dry and wet leasing, sale-and-leaseback and aircraft sales in the Asia Pacific and the US.
He was most recently the managing director of dotAero, which provides representation and access to expertise and solutions in aircraft remarketing, lease transactions, sales, sale-and-leasebacks, asset management and aircraft acquisitions.
Prior to joining dotAero in December last year, he was the executive vice president of marketing at Macquarie AirFinance, heading the marketing team with responsibility for the company's airline relationships globally.
Forsythe was also Macquarie AirFinance’s vice president of marketing for Asia Pacific, where he established the Asia Pacific regional office in Singapore, with sales responsibility for Australia, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Korea and Malaysia.
He has also held senior roles at Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS) and also worked at Saab Aircraft and Bombardier Inc in technical and sales capacities.
AirAsia group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said with Forsythe joining AACL, the company has now a great management platform, comprising highly-regarded professionals in the aircraft leasing industry.
“We will continue to bring the best minds to the leasing unit, as we continue to build the business,” he said.
AACL president and CEO Stephane Daillencourt said Forsythe will be invaluable for developing AACL’s business relationships.
“We are delighted to welcome Harry to the team, [as] he has more than three decades of experience in marketing aircraft in Asia, Australia and the US; and brings with him a comprehensive knowledge of the dynamics and drivers of aircraft leasing and extensive range of high-level contacts in airlines, lessors and original equipment manufacturers,” he said.