Beijing sales office opens
Gulfstream opens Beijing sales office
Gulfstream Aerospace has celebrated
the grand opening of its new Beijing office in
the China World Tower.
The office is located in the middle of Beijing’s
Central Business District.
“As the business aviation market continues to expand in Asia Pacific, it
becomes increasingly important that Gulfstream and General Dynamics have a
permanent presence in Beijing,”
said Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “The Beijing office allows us to respond to
customer needs more effectively and strengthen relationships with key
stakeholders in the region.”
Herman Chai, regional sales vice president, Far East Asia, Gulfstream, heads
the China
sales office. Leda M.L. Chong, senior vice president, Asia-Pacific region,
General Dynamics, is also headquartered there.
“China
has emerged as one of our most important global markets. Our customer base
there is growing rapidly,” said Chai. “We’ve learned how important it
is to stay close to customers, to be a regular and easily reachable presence
for them. This office responds to those needs.”
Gulfstream aircraft represent nearly one in four business jets in the region.
The company is leading the large-cabin market in Asia Pacific where, over the
past five years, Gulfstream has seen a sales increase of nearly 200 percent.
Chai joined Gulfstream in 1988 in the company’s Long Beach aircraft completions facility. In
2003, he transferred to Gulfstream’s headquarters in Savannah, and in 2005, he was promoted to
director, Completion Design, overseeing all Gulfstream aircraft interior design
across the five Gulfstream aircraft completions facilities.
Chong is a native of Hong Kong and fluent in
Chinese. She attended secondary school and completed bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in the United States.
She served for 20 years in the US Navy, achieving the rank of commander before
retiring in January 2007. Her last two duty assignments were in Washington, DC,
in the Navy’s congressional and budget liaison offices. She joined General
Dynamics in February 2007 as a director of government relations.
