Altavair has named Matthew Hoesley as Chief Executive Officer and President, effective January 1, 2027, as the commercial aircraft leasing and financing company moves to its next phase of growth.
Hoesley, currently President and Chief Commercial Officer, will succeed Stephen Rimmer as CEO. Rimmer, who has led Altavair since its founding in 2003, will transition to Executive Chairman.
Hoesley has spent more than two decades with Altavair, joining the company in 2005 and holding leadership roles across pricing, marketing, originations, portfolio management, financing and investments. He became Chief Commercial Officer in 2024 and President in 2026, and has played a key role in developing the company’s airline relationships, investment platform and capital partnerships.
“Steve has built a remarkable company founded on entrepreneurial thinking, disciplined investing and an unwavering commitment to customers. It has been a privilege to work alongside him and the broader Altavair team throughout my career,” said Hoesley. “I am honored by the opportunity to lead Altavair and grateful for the confidence shown by our Board and shareholders. We have a tremendous platform, a talented team, and exciting opportunities ahead. Our focus will remain on supporting our airline customers, delivering strong investment performance and continuing disciplined growth alongside our partners and stakeholders.”
Rimmer said Hoesley’s long experience with Altavair and involvement in its development made him well positioned to lead the company.
“After nearly twenty-four years leading Altavair and its predecessor business, I believe this is the right time to transition leadership to the next generation,” said Rimmer. “Matt has been a trusted commercial partner for many years and has played a central role in virtually every stage of Altavair’s growth into a leading global platform. He has the experience, judgement and leadership qualities to guide the company into the future, and I look forward to supporting him, Dimitrios and the broader leadership team in my new capacity as Executive Chairman.”
KKR, a strategic partner of Altavair, also backed the appointment.
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“Matt is a proven leader with deep knowledge of Altavair, its customers and the aviation market, and we are confident in his ability to lead the company forward,” said Brandon Freiman, Partner and Head of North American Infrastructure at KKR, and Daniel Pietrzak, Partner and Global Head of Private Credit at KKR. “We are grateful for Steve’s leadership over the years and look forward to working with him in his new role as Executive Chairman.”
The leadership transition comes as Altavair prepares to expand its global leased commercial aircraft portfolio following a recently announced $1.4 billion equity commitment from KKR. Under Hoesley, the company will continue its focus on airline customers, aircraft investment, and disciplined portfolio growth.
