White Oak Global Advisors, LLC announced the addition of three senior members to White Oak Aviation, LLC, the aviation financing affiliate created to expand the firm’s offerings to the aviation market. Bob Genise, Asa Watts and Greg Byrnes will be based in Bellevue, WA, and Ireland, and will further enhance the firm’s capabilities in the space.
“We are pleased to add Bob, Asa and Greg to our Commercial Aviation team as we continue to strategically expand,” said Andre Hakkak, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of White Oak Global Advisors. “I’m confident that their decades of experience in aviation leasing, financing and asset management along with firmly established networks of industry relationships will allow them to provide tailored and comprehensive solutions for our clients.”
Bob Genise has over 35 years of executive management experience in aviation finance. He was a co-founder of Boullioun Aviation Services, Inc. in 1988 and served as President and CEO from 1995-2005. Genise was previously a Board member of Singapore Aircraft Leasing, now Bank of China Aviation, CEO of DAE Capital, and Co-Founder and former CEO of Aergen Aviation Finance, Ltd. Genise earned his bachelor’s degree from New York University, MBA from the University of Connecticut and JD from Pace University School of Law.
Asa Watts and Greg Byrnes join White Oak from aircraft leasing and engine parts management company Aergen Aviation Finance, Ltd, where they held positions as Director of Pricing, Asset & Lease Management, and Chief Financial Officer, respectively. Before starting with Aergen, Watts had more than 10 years of transaction and asset management experience as VP, Portfolio Management at DAE Capital and Lease Manager at Boullioun Aviation Services. Watts holds an MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and started her career as a Public Accountant with Deloitte in Seattle, WA. Prior to his time at Aergen, Byrnes spent five years as Head of Finance at Avolon Aerospace Leasing Ltd, and previously spent 10 years with BDO Chartered Accountants. Byrnes is a chartered accountant and has an executive MBA and bachelor’s degree from University College Dublin.
The three new members of the team will work closely with White Oak’s existing commercial aviation finance professionals to help meet the growing need for bespoke aviation financing products.