About Us

Chief Executive Officer

Austin Wiley is the Chief Executive Officer of SKY Leasing. Austin has over 15 years of leasing industry experience, working in both capital markets and origination. Most recently, Austin was both the President and a co-founder of Sky Aviation Leasing International Limited (“SALI”), which was headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. SALI originated a fleet valued at $3B and was sold in September 2018 to Goshawk Limited. Austin has extensive fundraising experience raising more than $6B of debt and equity capital for aircraft transactions. Prior to SALI, Austin worked for Sky Holding Company, and Pegasus Aviation Finance Company. Austin holds a B.A. from Lewis and Clark College, and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

Executive Chairman

Rich Wiley is the Executive Chairman of SKY Leasing. With over 35 years of industry experience, Mr. Wiley has become a leading executive in the aircraft leasing industry. During his career, he has helped originate over $20B in aircraft transactions and maintains relationships with over 100 airline customers globally in every major and developing commercial aviation market. In addition to SKY Leasing, Mr. Wiley has founded and led a series of successful aviation leasing companies including Pegasus Aviation in 1988, Pegasus Aviation Finance Company (“PAFCO”) in 2004, Sky Holding Company in 2007, Jackson Square Aviation (“JSA”) in 2010, and Sky Aviation Leasing International Limited (“SALI”) in 2015. PAFCO, JSA, and SALI were sold successfully to Terra Firma Capital Partners, Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Co., and Goshawk Aviation Limited, respectively. Mr. Wiley holds a B.S. from Indiana University and an MBA from UCLA, where he is honored as an “Inspirational 100” Alumnus.

Co-Chief Investment Officer

Matthew Crawford is the Co-Chief Investment Officer of SKY Leasing (“SKY”). Mr. Crawford is a member of the executive and investment committee and is responsible for leading the company’s investment and funding strategy. He focuses on deal sourcing, underwriting, investor relations, and day to day operations of the firm. Prior to launching SKY’s fund management business, Mr. Crawford was a senior member of the capital markets team at SKY Aviation Leasing Management. Matthew brings a dynamic approach to the business with a special focus on developing innovative capital solutions for investors and airlines. Prior to joining SKY, Matthew started his career in equity research at a boutique investment bank based in San Francisco, California where he was responsible for generating quantitative strategies for institutional investors. Mr. Crawford holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Saint Mary’s College of California and is a CFA Charterholder.

Chief Commercial Officer

John is the Chief Commercial Officer of SKY Leasing and has over 30 years’ experience in aircraft leasing and finance. Most recently, John worked at SALI as a Senior Marketing Director for Asia, where he was responsible for airline and lessor origination in the region. Prior to SALI, John co-founded Transportation Partners (“TP”), which was the aircraft leasing subsidiary of Lion Air Group and has one of the largest orderbooks with Boeing and Airbus. Prior to TP, John worked in a variety of aircraft finance roles focused on Asia including ten years with the NatWest Group, with assignments in London, Tokyo and Shanghai, where he established the bank’s first offices in mainland China. Other banking assignments followed with Sumitomo and HSH Nordbank, where he led regional aviation teams in Hong Kong and Singapore. Mr. Duffy holds a B.A. from Liverpool University and MFA from New York University.

Chief Financial Officer

Ailbhe Kenny is the Chief Financial Officer of SKY Leasing. Ailbhe has over 15 years’ experience in the aircraft leasing and finance industry. Ailbhe prior to joining SKY Leasing spent four years with Applegreen plc, where she held 3 roles the last of which was Director of Corporate Affairs. Prior to working in Applegreen plc, Ailbhe worked for 19 years with KPMG in their Financial Services Division in Dublin where she gained extensive aircraft leasing and finance experience, working with a large number of the worlds lessors in both an assurance and advisory capacity. Ailbhe is a Chartered Accountant and holds a B.A International from UCD and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Studies from the UCD Michael Smurfit Business School.

General Counsel

Catherine has 25 years of experience in international contract law with 20 years of experience in aircraft leasing. She has extensive experience in contract negotiation and provision of legal advice in connection with aircraft acquisitions, sales, asset management, structured finance and operating leasing. Catherine initially joined the Sky Leasing team in 2017 following 12 years as Head of Legal at ORIX Aviation, managing a team of 8 legal professionals with a portfolio of over 170 aircraft and responsibility for all trading transaction execution.

As General Counsel at SKY Leasing she managed the legal team in building the portfolio to over 40 aircraft and completing the successful sale of the platform to Goshawk Aviation. Catherine re-joined Sky in 2021 having spent 2 years at BOC Aviation as Vice President, Legal and Transaction Management, with responsibility for all corporate and transaction matters in Europe, Middle East, Africa and the US and acting as board member for BOCA Ireland. Catherine was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland in 2000 and holds an LLB from Trinity College Dublin.

Chief Technical Officer

John Edwards is the Chief Technical Officer of SKY Leasing. John has over 30 years of experience in the commercial aviation industry. He was formerly the Vice President Asset Manager and CTO-Aircraft at Willis Lease Finance and served as Director of Leased Aircraft Management at AWAS / Pegasus and Director of Operations at GATX. Direct experience with the current Boeing, Airbus, and ATR product line including aircraft transitions, contract negotiations, and fleet management; broad knowledge of the Airbus single aisle fleet while A320 Engineering Fleet Manager at US Airways and United Airlines. John holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Fullerton and is an ISTAT Certified Appraiser.

Executive Vice President Marketing

Travis Wiley is the Executive Vice President Marketing of SKY Leasing. Travis has over 8 years of leasing industry experience, working in both origination and remarketing. His responsibilities include coverage for a global group of airlines, where he is responsible for planning and executing sale-leaseback strategies and leading lease negotiations. Most recently, Travis was a Marketing Director at Sky Aviation Leasing Management where he focused on remarketing, aircraft sales, and airline business development on behalf of Sky Aviation Leasing International Limited (“SALI”). SALI originated a fleet valued at $3B and was sold in September 2018 to Goshawk Limited. Travis has extensive marketing experience transitioning over 30 aircraft and originating new aircraft sale and leasebacks. Prior to SKY Leasing, Travis worked for Sky Holding Company. Travis holds a B.A. from Whittier College.

Managing Director of Asia

Valerie joined SKY Leasing in 2021, as Managing Director of Asia. She has more than 20 years of experience in asset and corporate finance. Most recently, she worked at Transportation Partners (“TP”) for approximately 9 years, where she oversaw all corporate finance responsibilities for the Lion Air Group of airlines and its MRO and arranged circa USD11billion of financing for 260new/used aircraft, 20 spare engines and 76 simulators.  Prior to joining TP, she worked at HSH Nordbank, Citibank and Bank of Nova Scotia. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from Nanyang Technology University and a Diploma of Childhood Education from Association Montessori Internationale.