GDAT Global, the international operations arm of GDAT Group (GDAT), today announced the appointment of Joseph Kearton as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). GDAT Global will serve operators, governments and humanitarian organisations outside China, drawing on the group’s experience in offshore, search and rescue (SAR), helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and humanitarian missions.
Kearton has spent much of his career in the helicopter industry, alongside experience in oil and gas. He previously worked at NHV and has extensive experience across Africa and Asia. Most recently he was a member of the senior leadership team at GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF), the Dublin-based helicopter leasing company and sister company of GDAT.
Speaking about his appointment Kearton said: “I am excited to bring the GDAT brand to the international market. GDAT has built a strong reputation for quality and safety, and for operating in some of the hardest, most remote and challenging environments. We want to bring that experience to new markets. What sets us apart is our access to aircraft. Through the GDAT and GDHF order book we can offer operators and end users solutions on availability, timing and aircraft type that would be difficult to find elsewhere in the industry. I look forward to working with customers and partners across the industry to build long-term relationships.”
Meanwhile, Peter Jiang, owner and Chairman of GDAT Group, added: “I have appointed Joseph because of his deep understanding of the helicopter industry and his focus on customers and safety. He knows the operators, the missions and the markets we are entering. With Joseph leading GDAT Global, we will take the capability GDAT has built in offshore, SAR, HEMS and humanitarian operations to customers around the world.”
Image: GDAT Global
