RNS Number : 0676L
Air Partner PLC
07 August 2013

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Air Partner appoints Paul Richardson as Director of Private Jets

Air Partner is a leading provider of private aviation services to industry, commerce, governments and private individuals worldwide.

Air Partner is pleased to announce that it has appointed Paul Richardson as Director of its Private Jet Division. Paul joins Air Partner with twenty years' highly relevant business experience. Based in the UK, Paul will have global responsibility for Air Partner's Private Jet Division (excluding North America) and joins the Leadership Team of Air Partner plc.

Paul qualified as a solicitor before moving into financial services, holding a number of senior management roles, including Head of London Private Banking at Coutts & Co and Head of Sports Media and Entertainment at Barclays Wealth. Most recently he was a member of the management team which launched Cover-U Ltd, the family office backed financial services aggregator, of which he is still a Non-Executive Director.  Prior to this, he was UK managing director at the Swiss wealth manager Helvetia Wealth AG, focusing on high net worths, ultra high net worths and family offices.

Paul holds a number of Non-Executive roles and for eight years was Chairman of the Sir Steve Redgrave Charitable Trust, and is now a committee member for the Steve Redgrave Fund within Comic Relief. He is also a member of the NSPCC Sports Steering Committee and is a Trustee of WellChild, which is proud to have HRH Prince Henry of Wales as its Patron.  

Mark Briffa, CEO of Air Partner, commented, "We are pleased to welcome Paul to Air Partner; his experience and understanding of the High Net Worth sector and the wider financial services industry are well suited to our Private Jet Division.  Paul's management experience and strong networks in both wealth management and the sports industry are ideally placed to help the Private Jet Division grow and achieve its strategic aims."

Paul Richardson, Air Partner's new Director of Private Jets, said, "I am delighted to be joining Air Partner's Private Jet Division. Air Partner has an excellent platform combining heritage, brand and industry leading products, with strong financials and a stellar track record. There remains significant opportunity for the Division throughout the UK, Europe and emerging markets - I am excited to be working with the team to drive growth and maximise our potential."     

Air Partner has a Royal Warrant from HM Queen Elizabeth II and works with six of the G8 group of governments, multinational corporations as well as many high net worth individuals around the world.The Groupis stepping up its private jet activity with notable success; the Group's JetCard programme is at record levels, and the company sold its first $1m JetCard earlier this year.  For the twelve months to 31 July 2012, Air Partner's Private Jet revenues increased by 8% to £44.0million.

7 August 2013

About Air Partner

Air Partner has been trading for 51 years and is a world leading provider of aviation charter services to industry, commerce, governments and individuals worldwide.  The Group is globally recognised as a leading charter broker and organises ad hoc aircraft charters of every type for any reason.  Its three main divisions comprise Air Partner Freight, Air Partner Commercial Jets and Air Partner Private Jets.  The Commercial Jets division charters large airliners to move groups of any size. Private Jets offers the company's pre-paid JetCard scheme and on-demand charter.  With its headquarters alongside Gatwick airport in the UK, Air Partner operates 24/7 year-round and employs 225 aviation professionals across its 20 offices spanning Europe, North America, the Far East and Middle East.  Air Partner is debt free and is the only company in the aviation industry to hold a Royal Warrant, a globally recognised mark of excellence.

www.airpartner.com

Enquiries:

Temple Bar Advisory

T. 020 7002 1080

Joanna Crawford

Tom Allison

M. 0777 625 3482

0778 999 8020


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