Jet Aviation has created a new structure within its business to support the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, headed by Joe Reckling. As senior vice president of regional operations for APAC, Reckling will oversee all the company’s business in the region. He reports directly to Rob Smith, president at Jet Aviation.
The company supports the APAC region with 21 locations and more than 1,100 employees. The move was made to “help the company capture the value of Hawker Pacific and pursue interests and ambitions in support of its vision”.
Reckling is a chartered accountant who earned a bachelor of commerce qualification from the University of Cape Town. He is a graduate of the Executive Program for Growing Business at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Following senior financial, commercial and managerial roles at various companies in the UK and Australia, Reckling became chief financial officer of Hawker Pacific in 2008.
“Joe has a strong background in mergers and acquisitions and post-acquisition business integration,” said 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.”
In other news, Johannes Turzer is retiring from his role as senior vice president of Strategic Global Growth (SGG) at the end of January 2019. The company’s current vice president of business development, David Best, steps into the role in December 2018.
Best joined the SGG team in April 2017; he is credited as “largely responsible” for the acquisition and integration of Hawker Pacific. His previous experience includes senior positions at BBA Aviation Asia Pacific and Signature Flight Support, and founding a global aviation and business consultancy company. He sits on the Asian Business Aviation Association’s board of governors, and the governing board of the International Business Aviation Council. He earned his MBA at the University of Strathclyde, UK, and is a member of the Institute of Directors.
“David has lived and worked in Europe, Asia and the USA throughout his business career,” said 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 senior vice president of SGG.”
Turzer is moving to Dusseldorf, Germany, where, from February 2019, he will serve in an advisory capacity as general manager for Germany. His career began in 1976 when he joined Jet Aviation in Dusseldorf as an avionics engineer. He left in 1978, performing various managerial roles in the industry, and returned to Jet Aviation in 2000, as vice president and general manager of operations in Germany. Later he added responsibilities for London Biggin and helped to establish Jet Aviation’s Moscow Vnukovo presence in late 2007. Turzer took over the leadership of the company’s Basel maintenance operation in 2011, and became senior vice president of SGG in 2017.
