Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) has appointed David Goring-Thomas as the Global Head of its Aviation Finance business, following the completion of the acquisition of DVB Bank’s Aviation Finance lending business.

Goring-Thomas, who will be based in London, previously held the position of Board Member responsible for Aviation Finance at DVB Bank. He will be tasked with ensuring a smooth integration as the combined team looks to build upon the strong foundation MUFG holds in the aviation sector around the world.

John Winter, Head of MUFG’s Global Corporate Investment Banking unit in EMEA and CEO of MUFG Securities EMEA, said: “Investment in our global aviation finance platform has formed a key part of MUFG’s strategy in recent years. David and the team joining from DVB Bank bring a wealth of experience and knowledge which will propel MUFG’s status in the sector and enable us to offer our aviation clients a broader range of products and capabilities, outside of our existing origination and lending capabilities.”

Goring-Thomas added: “I am looking forward to spearheading the next phase of growth for MUFG as it expands its offering in the aviation space, and collaborating with the existing teams and clients around the world. This investment in MUFG’s aviation finance business will be incredibly powerful; as one of the world’s biggest banks, with a deep heritage in Japan, MUFG is well-placed to offer a unique, global perspective to our clients.”

Prior to joining DVB Bank in 1998, Goring-Thomas worked at the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan, the Swiss Bank Corporation, and NatWest Bank. He studied Economics at the University of Manchester.

Announced in March, MUFG has acquired DVB Bank’s entire aviation finance client lending portfolio (approximately $4.4 billion), employees and other parts of its operating infrastructure.