AE Industrial Partners (AEI), a private equity firm, has announced that Erik Deutsch, a 25-year plus aviation expert, has joined the firm as Chief Technical Officer of the AE Industrial Aerospace Opportunities Fund, effective immediately.
In this new role, Deutsch will oversee all technical management of assets, acquisition analysis, technical deal strategy, lease portfolio management, and the lease delivery and redelivery processes for the AE Industrial Partners Aerospace Opportunities Fund. AEI Aerospace Opportunities Fund pursues a strategy of acquiring commercial aircraft and engines to create leases and structured credit solutions designed to produce income and capital appreciation for its investors.
“Erik brings a deep background in aircraft and engine leasing, material aftermarket and the MRO business, which are critical in supporting the AEI Aerospace Opportunities Fund,” said David Rowe, Managing Partner of AEI. “AEI prides itself on its deep aerospace engine roots, and Erik will continue our tradition of adding a combination of technical and financial skills to our team. We welcome him to the firm.”
Deutsch was Chief Technical Officer at Aero Capital Solutions, an aircraft lessor, for seven years where he was responsible for all aspects of portfolio management, technical operations and technical records. Previously, he served as Manager of Technical Operations at Bank of China Aviation where he managed all technical operations of a customer subset fleet. Previous roles also include VP of Technical Management at Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Director of Engine Management at AAR Corp.
“AE Industrial is one of the few private equity firms with a true technical understanding of the aerospace and related industries, and I’m honored to join their talented team,” said Deutsch. “I am excited to help the AEI Aerospace Opportunities Fund manage its existing portfolio, as well as identify new investment opportunities.”