Supersonic aircraft company Aerion has announced the appointment of several executives, bringing decades of industry experience and expertise to support the company's ongoing expansion plans. As development of the AS2 supersonic business jet accelerates, Aerion continues to grow its team, with further new hires planned to bring the AS2 to production and launch the company's new global headquarters and manufacturing site at Aerion Park in Melbourne, Florida.

Joining the company from Embraer, Alessandro Salvia is appointed Aerion's new controller with lead responsibility for accounting and finance management. Salvia brings 12 years of accountancy expertise from management roles at PWC and Embraer and holds CPA, CISA and CFE licenses.

With expertise in aerospace industry compliance and contract negotiation, Rachelle St Louis-Vincent joins Aerion from Gulfstream as a key member of the company's in-house legal and compliance team. In addition to providing legal support to key business functions, The new role will include leading the initiation of the Aerion Foundation, a new independent body committed to reversing climate change.

Robert (Bob) Lewis joins Aerion as director, system test evaluation to build and lead the company's new testing facilities at Aerion Park. With more than 29 years aerospace leadership experience with the USAF and Northrop Grumman, Lewis will play a central role in the AS2 testing programme.

Matthew Clarke joins Aerion as senior VP of marketing and communications. With extensive experience of global marketing and communication management in the luxury and high-performance automotive sector, Clarke will lead growth of Aerion's global brand presence. Matthew brings 20 years of experience with brands including Aston Martin Lagonda, Land Rover and Karma Automotive.

Tom Vice, Aerion's chairman, president and CEO, says: “I am really excited to have such an incredible group of successful and committed executives join our team. They are each passionate about our purpose to build the next generation of global transportation networks that significantly reduce the time and friction of travel while leaving no carbon footprint behind. They join our team of entrepreneurs, innovators, risk takers and creative people with the courage to disrupt.”

Aerion has a growing nationwide employee base encompassing core sites in Reno, Nevada, the company's current HQ; an Aerion Technologies division in Palo Alto, California; and a new facility in Melbourne, Florida, home to the future Aerion Park which will break ground later this year.

Aerion Park, which represents an investment of $300 million, could create at least 675 new jobs by 2026. The development, powered by clean energy, will incorporate headquarters operations plus an integrated campus for research, design, build and maintenance of the company's supersonic aircraft.