Jet Aviation makes new Asia-Pacific region and leadership team appointments

BASEL, Switzerland, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jet Aviation today announced it has formed a new region for Asia-Pacific (APAC) and appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations APAC, effective immediately. The company also appointed David Best, current VP Business Development, as its new SVP Strategic Global Growth (SGG), effective December 1. Best succeeds Johannes Turzer, who is retiring from this role at the end of January 2019.

To help the company capture the value of Hawker Pacific and pursue interests and ambitions in support of its vision, Jet Aviation has formed a new region in Asia-Pacific (APAC) to which it has appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations. Reckling joins the leadership team, reporting directly to Jet Aviation President, Rob Smith, and will oversee the company's business activities throughout the region. The new APAC region has 21 locations and more than 1,100 employees.

Reckling joined Hawker Pacific as CFO in 2008, having held senior financial, commercial and managerial roles with various public companies in the UK and Australia. A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Town and is a graduate of the Executive Program for Growing Business at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

"Joe has a strong background in mergers and acquisitions and post-acquisition business integration," adds Smith. "I'm very pleased to welcome him to the leadership team and am confident he will continue to expand and strengthen our service offerings in Asia-Pacific to exceed customer demand."

Best joined Turzer's SGG team as VP Business Development in April 2017 and has been largely responsible for the successful acquisition and integration of Hawker Pacific to date. Prior to joining Jet, he founded and led a global aviation and business consultancy company and held senior positions with BBA Aviation Asia Pacific and Signature Flight Support. Best serves as Board of Governor of the Asian Business Aviation Association and sits on the Governing Board of the International Business Aviation Council. He is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, where he earned his MBA and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Turzer began his career with Jet Aviation in Dusseldorf in 1976 as an Avionics Engineer. In 1978, he left the company to take on various managerial roles in the Industry until 1999. In 2000, Turzer returned to Jet Aviation as VP and GM of our Germany operations. He later assumed further responsibilities for London Biggin Hill and was also instrumental in establishing Jet Aviation's Moscow Vnukovo presence in late 2007. In 2011, Turzer took leadership of our maintenance operation in Basel, and is credited for successfully overcoming considerable market challenges before assuming his current role as SVP SGG in 2017.

"David has lived and worked in Europe, Asia and the USA throughout his business career," says Smith. "He brings to his new role deep knowledge and expertise in all aspects of strategy, corporate growth, acquisitions and business aviation infrastructure. Please join me in thanking Johannes for his significant contribution to Jet, and in wishing David continued success as SVP SGG."

Best also joins the company's leadership team, reporting to Smith. Turzer will relocate to his home in Dusseldorf, Germany in mid-December, and serve in an advisory capacity as GM Germany effective February 1, 2019.

Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. More than 4,800 employees cater to client needs from close to 50 facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America and the Caribbean. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, FBO and fuel services, along with aircraft management, charter services and personnel services. Jet Aviation's European and U.S. aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of some 300 aircraft. Please visit www.jetaviation.com and follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/jetaviation.

More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

SOURCE Jet Aviation