CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co. appointed Nick Hazeldine chief operating officer. Hazeldine will begin his role in November 2018 and will be based in CDB Aviation’s recently opened global headquarters in Dublin.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nick and look forward to his contributions to our already strong worldwide team,” said CDB Aviation President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Chang. “Nick exhibits the energy and enthusiasm CDB Aviation is becoming known for as we bolster our platform’s operational efficiency and performance. His experience combined with a proven track record of driving growth, creating shareholder value, and people management, will be vital to our company at this time of accelerated development. His multidisciplinary background within the operations teams of a top-tier lessor will boost the strength and depth of our team.”

Hazeldine is a seasoned aircraft leasing professional with more than 16 years of experience in asset finance, working for lessors exclusively owned by large financial institutions. His background spans a number of key operational areas, such as: risk, commercial negotiation, contract management, and aircraft deliveries. In his most recent role, Nick was credited with establishing and leading the industry’s first aircraft leasing innovation lab.

Hazeldine commented: “I am very excited to join the CDB Aviation team. I was attracted to the company’s high-caliber professionals, enviable balance sheet strength of its parent, and ambitious growth plans. In today’s intensely competitive market, CDB Aviation’s growth is indicative of the unwavering commitment and support of its shareholder and demonstrates a long-term strategic investment.”

Hazeldine joined CDB Aviation from SMBC Aviation Capital, where most recently he was head of Innovation. Previously, he served as head of Credit Risk, head of Transaction Management, senior vice president, Commercial Negotiation, as well as several other roles in contract management, aircraft deliveries, and funding. Hazeldine started his career in The Royal Bank of Scotland’s rail leasing business before progressing to their Structured Asset Finance division.

Hazeldine added: “The lessors, who will be best-positioned to manage short- to medium-term industry volatility and take advantage of counter-cyclical opportunities, are those with nimble platforms, laser focus on risk management, ability to quickly redeploy aircraft, and strong, stable shareholders with access to long-term funding – these are all key attributes of CDB Aviation’s robust platform.”