GA Telesis launched a new division called Leveraged Finance Group to provide secured aircraft financing for lessors, investors and airlines. GAT appointed David Lloyd and Nolan Heske as managing directors of LFG.

The LFG management team has more than 35 years of combined experience in the aircraft and transportation finance sector. Prior to joining GAT, Lloyd and Heske co-founded Air Funding in 2016 to provide an alternative source of direct lending on commercial aircraft to lessors and airlines.

Prior to Air Funding, Lloyd spent 12 years at Carlson Capital as head of Credit, Airlines & Aerospace. Lloyd was the group founder and was responsible for a portfolio with peak assets of $475 million. Lloyd also held executive positions at Credit Suisse and Chase Securities.

Heske was previously a managing director with Jefferies for seven years where he was responsible for trading, sourcing and placing aviation related securities, loans and bonds. Heske’s prior experience includes executive positions at Guggenheim Securities and Piper Jaffray Securities covering the aviation and transportation sectors.

LFG will bring alternative sources of secured aircraft financing for lessors, investors and airlines seeking solutions for both new and mid-life aircraft. The group will initially focus on senior debt, mezzanine debt and unitranche structures. LFG is the latest business strategy to be implemented under the LTI (Leasing Trading & Investments) Group, which also includes the Asset Transaction Group (aircraft and engine leasing and trading and Structured Credit Products), and the Capital Management Group (management of investor capital including the GAIN Fund).

“LFG is the latest implementation of our strategy to utilize GAT’s extensive industry expertise, comprehensive technical capabilities and world class execution to expand our platform as a unique integrated aviation solutions and service provider,” said Marc Cho, chief investment officer of GA Telesis and president of the LTI Group. “Both David and Nolan are industry veterans with enviable track records and I have the utmost confidence that they will build LFG into a meaningful player in the aircraft finance market.”

GA Telesis is a provider of integrated aviation solutions serving the aviation and aerospace industries.