UK-headquartered PrivateFly has appointed Robert Shaplen as senior vice president of west coast sales. He will report to the company's president of the Americas, Gregg Slow, and will be focused on building clients and charter flight sales in California and other western states alongside existing US teams in Boston and Fort Lauderdale. PrivateFly plans to build a sales team centred in the region, and to open an office in California within the next 18 months.

Shaplen brings seven years of industry sales experience to the new role, most recently from Gama Aviation and previously from XOJet. He says: “I am excited by the opportunity to play a significant role in our US expansion. The west coast region is a hugely important one for business aviation.

“PrivateFly's combination of speed, service and expertise, with the industry backing of our parent company Directional Aviation, offers a compelling proposition to clients. I'm looking forward to building our presence here and making PrivateFly the 'go to' choice for on-demand charter in the region.”

Slow adds: “We are now well-established on the east coast, with our teams in Boston and south Florida performing and growing well. And while we have a robust client base throughout the United States, it is now the right time to focus our efforts on west coast expansion. Robert has a proven track record in industry sales, combined with the energy and leadership skills we need to build this important new team. We're excited to welcome him, and to see the impact and growth he can make as the year unfolds.”