London, UK – 24 January 2023: Jetcraft, the global leader in business aircraft sales and acquisitions, has appointed Gerald Hooper and Laurence Vidal to senior sales roles in the Americas. The executive hires position Jetcraft to meet customer demand throughout the continent and further expand the company’s on-the-ground market intelligence.
As Aircraft Sales Director, Hooper will lead Jetcraft’s business development in the US West Coast territories, including Northern California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Prior to joining Jetcraft, Hooper was Director of Aircraft Sales and Acquisitions at Executive Aircraft Services (EAS), working with corporate clients and aircraft worldwide.
Based in Brazil, Vidal joins Jetcraft as Sales Representative and will oversee the South American territories, including Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Vidal has held positions at leading OEMs, including an eight-year tenure at Bombardier Aerospace where she formulated business strategies to drive market share in the Brazilian executive aviation market.
Dan Kilkeary, SVP Sales, Americas at Jetcraft, says: “With more than 40 years combined experience in business aviation, Gerald and Laurence bring extensive local and industry knowledge to Jetcraft and will ensure we continue to exceed client expectations across the Americas.
“Our latest Market Forecast highlights the importance of our presence in these regions, with North America continuing to lead demand for pre-owned business jets across the globe, growing from 53% market share in 2010 to 73% in 2021 in terms of aircraft value. South America business jet activity is also soaring, with business aviation flights up 23% compared to 2022, according to data from WingX.”
Gerald Hooper, Aircraft Sales Director at Jetcraft, says: “This is an exciting time to join Jetcraft as business aviation continues to grow across North America. Jetcraft’s priority is bringing creative global solutions to the West Coast and I’m eager to begin closing transactions for our clients.”
Laurence Vidal, Sales Representative at Jetcraft, adds: “I’m ready to support Jetcraft in executing complex aircraft sales, acquisitions and trades, while providing a personal, inclusive service and fostering long-term relationships across South America.”
Hooper and Vidal’s appointments follow two senior executive appointments in 2022, upping Jetcraft’s headcount to more than 80.