Management Team
Stefan Vilner, CEO
Stefan Vilner was previously CCO at Sterling Airlines for four years where he was responsible for the airline’s revenue and yield management, advertising and branding, distribution and product development. Stefan headed the airline’s commercial efforts as they turned a business with combined losses of €120 million into a profitable company. Joining Sterling, Stefan was involved in the start up and running of the London based, BA owned Low Fares airline GO-Fly Ltd. Stefan was also President, and later Chairman, of the Executive Committee in ELFAA, the European Low Fares Airlines Association.
Carsten Dettmar, CFO
Carsten Dettmar is an alumni of Frankfurt’s Goethe University where he obtained the Degree of a Diplom Kaufmann. He started his career in Banking as Manager for Export and Project Finance with Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau in Frankfurt, before he joined Air Berlin in March 2001 as Head of Controlling and Aircraft Finance. Over the ensuing five years he was in charge of establishing and deepening relationships with various financial institutions and oversaw reporting procedures within the company. He was part of the team that took Air Berlin PLC public in 2006. In April 2006, Carsten became Head of Air Berlin’s newly established Treasury Department and was responsible for risk and cash management, as well as all the company’s financing activities. He continued to build up the department and was also involved in various M&A activities, notably the acquisitions of dba and LTU. Carsten joined JetBird in 2008.
Patrick Raftery, Operations Director
Patrick Raftery is the Operations Director and will focus on the JetBird operating platform and regulatory compliance requirements. Patrick has joined JetBird from NetJets Europe where he had responsibility for managing NetJets’ daily operations. He started his aviation career in British Airways, serving in a number of senior management roles, including international postings in Europe, Africa and the United States. He also has experience in dealings with start-up aviation companies, having launched a commercial airline, JetMagic, in 2003. Patrick holds a Masters of Science Degree (MSc) in Aviation Management from Cranfield University including a thesis on Fractional Ownership, has completed Global Strategy studies at Harvard Business school and is currently completing a Masters Degree (MA) in International Relations in Dublin City University.
Dr. Hans Jörg Hunziker, Director
Hans Jörg Hunziker is a Director with the responsibility for fleet planning, strategic development and corporate governance related areas. He has 30 years experience in the aviation industry and is a recognised global expert on aircraft leasing and aviation finance. Hans Jörg has worked as CFO of several companies in the transportation, hospitality, real estate and airport related services industries. In 1998, he was appointed as CEO and President of an aircraft leasing company with a portfolio of 120 commercial aircraft and a balance sheet of over US$2.5bn. Between 1998 and 2002 he also served as a Member and Chairman of SRTechnics, a leading international MRO company. In 2002, Hans Jörg founded his own company in Zug, offering independent business consulting services and arranging lease and finance solutions for the aviation industry. He holds a masters degree in economics and business administration from the University of Zurich and he earned a Ph.D. for his thesis on Strategic Planning in the Airline Industry.
Dómhnal Slattery, Chairman
Dómhnal Slattery is the Chairman and Managing Partner of Claret Capital, a private equity fund based in Dublin. Prior to the establishment of the fund he was the Managing Director of the Structured Asset Finance business of the Royal Bank of Scotland, the world’s fifth largest bank. Based in Dublin and London he had direct responsibility for a number of global business lines with a combined balance sheet in excess of £25 billion including the bank’s commercial aviation and corporate aviation finance businesses. Dómhnal established RBS Aviation Capital in 2001, which today is the third largest commercial aircraft lessor in the world, with a committed fleet of 230 aircraft. In addition to his role in Claret Capital, Dómhnal is Chairman and Board Member of a number of companies, funds and councils in Ireland.
Jim King, Vice Chairman
Jim King is a veteran of the aviation industry with over 26 years of experience within the sector. Jim is a director of a number of civil aviation investment companies. He is a former Vice Chairman of GPA Group plc and Chief Executive of GPA Leasing. He was a founder and Chairman of Shannon aerospace, now a Lufthansa Technik company employing 850 in aircraft maintenance at Shannon. Jim was also Chairman of Pembroke Capital, the aircraft leasing company recently acquired by Standard Chartered Bank.
