Willis Lease Finance Corp., a leading lessor of commercial aircraft engines and global provider of aviation services, announced the appointment of Pascal Picano as Senior Vice President, Aircraft Leasing & Trading, effective immediately.

Picano reports directly to Austin C. Willis, Chief Executive Officer of WLFC, and will work closely with Marc Pierpoint, Senior Vice President, Head of Trading & Investments, to drive the continued growth and evolution of WLFC’s portfolio.

In this newly created role, Picano will be building upon the Company’s leading aviation leasing platform by strategically growing its aircraft portfolio. He will also support the Company’s commitment to investing in next-generation assets that meet the evolving needs of the aviation industry. Pierpoint will continue to focus on growth of the engine portfolio.

“Pascal has been a trusted figure in aviation finance for decades, and we are delighted to welcome him to the WLFC senior leadership team,” said Willis. “He will be an invaluable addition, bringing deep expertise, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a proven track record to our organization.”

“I am honored to join WLFC, a company I have long admired for its innovation and leadership in aviation leasing and MRO,” said Picano. “I look forward to working closely with Austin, Marc, and the broader team to build on the company’s strong momentum and help realize the next phase of WLFC’s success.”

Picano brings more than 25 years of experience in the aviation industry, specializing in aircraft acquisition, leasing, and capital raising. He most recently served as a Member of the Board of Directors at Avia Solutions Group and previously held senior leadership roles at Carlyle Aviation Partners (formerly Apollo Aviation Group). Throughout his career, Picano has structured complex transactions, raised equity and debt for aircraft deals, and built and led high-performing teams across the aviation finance sector.