Altavair, a commercial aviation leasing and financing platform, formed a planned leadership succession designed to support the company’s continued growth and long-term strategic development.
Effective Jan. 1, 2027, Stephen Rimmer, Altavair’s CEO since the company’s founding in 2003, will transition to the role of executive chairman. Matthew Hoesley, currently president and chief commercial officer, will assume the role of CEO and president. In addition, Dimitrios Kotinis, currently head of investments, will be promoted to chief commercial officer, leading Altavair’s marketing, trading, pricing, risk and capital markets functions.
Since co-founding the business in 2003 as Guggenheim Aviation Partners, Rimmer has overseen its growth into a globally recognized aviation investment, leasing and asset management platform. Under his leadership, the company successfully transitioned to the Altavair brand, expanded its international footprint across Seattle, Dublin, London and Singapore, and established the strategic partnership with KKR that has become a cornerstone of the company’s growth.
“After nearly twenty-four years leading Altavair and its predecessor business, I believe this is the right time to transition leadership to the next generation,” Rimmer said. “Matt has been a trusted commercial partner for many years and has played a central role in virtually every stage of Altavair’s growth into a leading global platform. He has the experience, judgement and leadership qualities to guide the company into the future, and I look forward to supporting him, Dimitrios and the broader leadership team in my new capacity as executive chairman.”
Hoesley has spent more than two decades with Altavair, joining the company in 2005 and progressing through a series of leadership roles spanning pricing, marketing, originations, portfolio management, financing and investments. He was appointed chief commercial officer in 2024 and president in 2026 and has been instrumental in the development of Altavair’s airline relationships, investment platform and capital partnerships.
“Steve has built a remarkable company founded on entrepreneurial thinking, disciplined investing and an unwavering commitment to customers. It has been a privilege to work alongside him and the broader Altavair team throughout my career,” Hoesley said. “I am honored by the opportunity to lead Altavair and grateful for the confidence shown by our board and shareholders. We have a tremendous platform, a talented team and exciting opportunities ahead. Our focus will remain on supporting our airline customers, delivering strong investment performance and continuing disciplined growth alongside our partners and stakeholders.”
Brandon Freiman, partner and head of North American infrastructure at KKR, and Daniel Pietrzak, partner and global head of private credit at KKR, added, “Matt is a proven leader with deep knowledge of Altavair, its customers and the aviation market, and we are confident in his ability to lead the company forward. We are grateful for Steve’s leadership over the years and look forward to working with him in his new role as executive chairman.”
