Most Innovative Business Jet Financier 2012: Guggenheim Business Aircraft Investments

Guggenheim Business Aircraft Investments was awarded Most Innovative Business Jet Financier 2012 by Corporate Jet Investor a specialist website and event organiser dedicated to business jet and helicopter finance. The awards were chosen by a panel of finance specialists at manufacturers and leading brokers.

Many lenders will finance business jets in order to get a customer for another part of the bank and is not distracted by seeking anything else. It is this, Guggenheim believes, that sets it apart from its competitors.

Whilst it takes a borrower’s credit worthiness seriously Guggenheim is keenly focused on the asset behind the deal and – just as importantly – the operator of the aircraft.

Although Guggenheim had a business jet finance joint-venture with UBS in 2008, Guggenheim Business Aircraft Investments is a completely separate operation. The new group was launched in 2010 and closed a number of large cabin aircraft deals in the Middle East, Asia and Russia in 2011.

The team is headed by Chris Miller a former F/A-18 pilot, aircraft maintenance officer and aviation safety officer who worked for a management consultancy and in internet start-ups before joining Guggenheim.

In June 2011, the fund appointed Bryan Moss, former president of Gulfstream Aerospace, chairman of Guggenheim Partners Business Aircraft Investments. Moss, who was also president of Bombardier’s Business Aircraft Division before joining Gulfstream, is a high profile chairman who is also not afraid to use his Rolodex of former customers to find opportunities for Guggenheim.