Editorial Comment

Aviation 100 Global Leaders Awards 2020

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Aviation 100 Global Leaders Awards 2020

Congratulations to the Aviation 100 Global Leaders Awards 2020 winners, which were announced at a gala dinner held during the Airline Economics Growth Frontiers Dublin 2020 conference last week. 

Airline Economics hosted its Aviation 100 Global Leaders Awards, which honoured Thomas Hollahan as the recipient of our most prestigious award, The Face of Aviationto recognise his significant contribution to the aviation industry after almost four decades in the business. The Face of Aviation award was introduced by Aengus Kelly, chief executive of AerCap, who described Thomas as “a great mentor, a great advisor, a man of great integrity and perfectionism”, who supported by AerCap when the company was starting out. He added: “Tom Hollahan brought the biggest bank in the planet into this business, which brought so many more with it. Everyone in this room owes this man a tremendous debt of gratitude.”

Accepting the award, Hollahan described the aviation industry as one where business relationships matter, which he and Citi has worked hard to maintain over many decades. Although now retired, Hollahan, said that he was “very proud to have had the opportunity to play a role in the history of aviation finance”, and wished the very best of luck to all those pursuing careers in this “great industry of ours that I love so much.”

The 2020 Aviation 100 Global Leaders Awards, also incorporated the Aviation 100 European awards, and two Asia-Pacific awards were also presented that were postponed from our Hong Kong event in November.  The winning deals and companies are listed below – a more detailed report on all of the award winners will be published in the forthcoming issue of Airline Economics. 

Aviation 100 European Awards
Aviation 100 European Lease Deal of the Year JOLCO refinancing of two 747-400Fs for Cargolux 
Aviation 100 European Debt Deal of the Year      TAP €375m senior unsecured bond
Aviation 100 European Supported Finance Deal of the Year Balthazar French Lease for five Turkish Airlines aircraft
Aviation 100 European Editor's Deal of the Year for Innovation          Green Financed ATR72-600 delivered to Braathens Regional Airlines, leased by Avation 
Aviation 100 European Overall Deal of the Year      British Airways $806m 2019-1 EETC 
Aviation 100 Asia-Pacific Awards
Aviation 100 Asia-Pacific M&A Deal of the Year      Tokyo Century’s acquisition of Aviation Capital Group
Aviation 100 Asia-Pacific Editor’s Deal of the Year MACH 2019-1 ABS
Aviation 100 Global Leaders Deals of the Year Awards
Aviation 100 Remarketing Deal of the Year             AMS and EastMerchant Capital place one Boeing 747-400F aircraft with China Airlines 
Aviation 100 New Leasing Entity of the Year Korea Transportation Asset Management (KOTAM)
Aviation 100 Fund of the Year (New Fund) Global Aviation Equipment Leasing fund  
Aviation 100 Fund of the Year (Long-Term Performance)     Investec Aviation Debt Funds 
Aviation 100 Equity Deal of the Year Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA and CCB Leasing (International) Corporation Joint Venture
Aviation 100 Debt Deal of the Year           NCB Capital Islamic Warehouse Facility  
Aviation 100 Capital Markets Deal of the Year      Horizon Aircraft Finance III ABS
Aviation 100 M&A Deal of the Year          Sale of DVB Bank’s Aviation Finance division to MUFG and BOTL 
Aviation 100 Lease Deal of the Year         Castlelake $597.87m Secured Term Loan  
Aviation 100 Supported Finance Deal of the Year JOLCO financing of one Boeing 787-9 aircraft for El Al Israel Airlines
Aviation 100 Global Leaders Awards
Aviation 100 Law Firm of the Year           Pillsbury
Aviation 100 Parts Supplier of the Year    AJW Group
Aviation 100
Appraiser of the Year          
IBA Group
Aviation 100 MRO of the Year     Lufthansa Technik 
Aviation 100 EditorDeal of the Year for Innovation         Virgin Atlantic Airways ACG-supported financing for one Airbus A350-1000
Aviation 100 Overall Deal of the Year (& Americas M&A Deal of the Year)  Sale & Financing of GE's PK AirFinance Loan Portfolio to Aurora Bidco (the entity formed by Apollo Global Management and Athene Holding in its agreement to purchase PK Airfinance)
Aviation 100 Bank of the Year     Citi
Aviation 100
Airline of the Year  
Finnair
Aviation 100 Lessor of the Year AerCap
Aviation 100 CFO /Treasury Team of the Year  Geir Karlsen, Chief Financial Officer & the team at Norwegian
Aviation 100 CEO / Industry Leader of the Year      John Plueger, CEO, Air Lease Corporation 
Face of Aviation Thomas Hollahan