Board of Directors
JEFF CHATFIELD
Executive Chairman
Mr Chatfield is the Executive Chairman of Avation PLC and has been instrumental in founding and growing the Company. Mr Chatfield has managed and been a director of a number of companies involved in the airline industry, data distribution, electronics, investment, broadcasting and manufacturing sectors. He has Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering Science degrees from the University of Western Australia. He is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Directors.
He was born in Perth, Australia and is a Permanent Resident of Singapore.
RODERICK DOUGLAS MAHONEY
Non-Executive Director
Mr Mahoney is a retired executive of the Company. He continues to serve the shareholders as a non-executive director of the Company. Prior to his retirement, Mr Mahoney was an Executive Director of the Company from December 2011 until January 2023. He also held the position of Chief Commercial Officer with the Company and was previously a fleet planning and aircraft procurement consultant to the Company prior to his appointment.
Previously he was a project advisor to a variety of Asia-Pacific airlines, suppliers and other aviation businesses and consulted to Virgin Blue and V Australia for 3 years. Before that, he held various executive positions at the aircraft manufacturer, Airbus for 23 years, largely within the sales division, and was responsible for sales valued at some US$10bn in the European, Asian, Chinese and Pacific regions.
Mr Mahoney holds a Masters degree in Applied Finance (MAppFin) from Macquarie University in Sydney, a Masters in Air Transport (MSc) from Cranfield University in the UK, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering (BSc. Hons) and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Mr Mahoney holds dual nationality of Australia and Great Britain.
MARK SHELTON
Executive Director
Mark Shelton is a diversified professional who has held Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer roles in a variety of industries both in publicly listed and private companies. Those have included Finance, Media, Aviation, Continuous Surface Mining and Fuel Distribution.
Mark has an ability to identify the key drivers of a business no matter what industry and manipulate those to maximise profits. Mark held the position as CEO of Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd, and was instrumental in forming the Virgin Australia Regional ATR72-600 airline network.
Mark graduated from Newman College and holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting and has participated in a number of post graduate courses.
DR STEPHEN FISHER PHD
Non-Executive Director
In addition to his role at Avation PLC, Stephen is Chairman, Principal and Chief Investment Officer of First Degree Global Asset Management Pte. Ltd., a privately owned asset management company in Singapore founded in 2011. First Degree Global Asset Management operates a number of strategies for its clients including a Fixed Income focused hedge fund.
Stephen has had two decades experience as an investment professional with leading investment management groups in the United States, Asia and Australia. From 2000 to 2011 he was Managing Director and Head of Global Fixed Income Product - Asia Pacific at JPMorgan Asset Management. Stephen held the positions of Australian Head of Capital Markets Research from 1992 - 1996, and Asia Pacific Regional Head of Capital Markets Research at J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. from 1996 - 1998.
Stephen’s particular areas of expertise are in quantitative analysis of fixed income, equities, asset allocation and derivatives. He has advised Central Banks and Sovereign Wealth Funds on their reserves management practice, and his research on investment management issues has been widely published in academic and industry journals.
Stephen has a Master of Science (Finance) and a PhD (Finance) from the WE Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Rochester, New York and a Bachelor of Economics (First Class Honours) from the University of Sydney.
DEREK SHARPLES
Non-Executive Director
Mr Sharples has had a life long interest in aviation. He is a Singapore resident and the ex-CEO of Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia. Previously Mr Sharples was Corporate Secretary and Head of Legal and export control department at Airbus in Toulouse, France. He has experience as a Director of a Toronto Listed public company (Vector Aerospace Corporation) and companies in Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.
Mr Sharples has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the Cranfield School of Management. He is a licenced pilot, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS) and retired with the military rank of Commander, Royal Navy.
Mr Sharples is a Fellow of the UK Institute of Directors (FIoD) and a UK Chartered Director (CDir). He holds dual British and French Nationalities.
Senior Management
SOEREN FERRE
Chief Commercial Officer
Mr Ferre was formally the CEO at AerCap Group Services. His other positions at AerCap included Head of Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Asia Pacific, Head of Asia Pacific, and Vice President of Marketing Asia Pacific. Previously, Mr Ferre was Sales Director Pacific and China and General Manager Marketing China at Airbus. He also worked as Strategic Advisor to the Board of Directors of APFLeet.
Mr Ferre served as a director for Avation PLC subsidiary Capital Lease Aviation PLC and non-executive chairman of Bravo Passenger Solutions, a Singaporean IT services provider to airlines. Mr Ferre is a partner at Transport Capital Pte Ltd.
IAIN CAWTE
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Iain Cawte is a Chartered Accountant with over two decades experience with companies operating in the transportation and energy trading sectors. He has served in senior financial management and director level roles in Singapore since 2008. As Chief Financial Officer for the Group, Mr. Cawte leads our finance team and is primarily responsible for corporate reporting, strategic planning, risk management and tax.
Mr. Cawte holds a degree in Mathematics from the University of Manchester and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
ASHLEY NICHOLAS
Director, Corporate Finance
Mr Nicholas currently holds the position of Director, Corporate Finance and is the main point of contact for all of the group’s banking relationships and asset backed finance.
Prior to this appointment, Mr Nicholas was a Director at an international general aviation group where he was involved in financing, negotiating and contracting of approximately 200 aircraft transactions. Mr Nicholas has also held an appointment at Bell Helicopters where he was responsible for sales within the Asia Pacific region. Mr Nicholas also holds auditing, accounting and business development experience.
Mr Nicholas is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, holds an MBA (with Finance Concentration) from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business and a BSc in Mathematics and Management from Kings College, University of London. Mr Nicholas was born in the United Kingdom and is a permanent resident of the Republic of Singapore.
MICHAEL DELA CRUZ
Head of Technical
Mr. Dela Cruz is an aviation technical services veteran, having had stints working in top-tier airline industries like Singapore Airline and Jetstar Asia Airways and aircraft/engine leasing company in Singapore. His technical expertise includes management of aircraft and engine leasing, engine overhaul, aircraft maintenance planning, aircraft reliability and aircraft major components maintenance.
Prior to working in Avation, Michael had diversified experiential and theoretical expertise in aviation industries as Head of Technical in the aircraft and engine leasing company, Technical Services Manager, Powerplant Engineer, IFE Technical specialist, Aircraft Maintenance Planner and Technical Instructor.
Mr. Dela Cruz holds a Bachelors Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from PATTS College of Aeronautics in The Philippines. He holds a Filipino citizenship and is a Permanent Resident of Singapore.