Wheels Up has appointed lieutenant general Thomas W. Bergeson as COO and Jason Horowitz, who has served as COO since 2017, to the new role of chief business officer. Bergeson will be responsible for the operations of the company, while Horowitz will focus on corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, and business strategy.

As COO, Bergeson will provide leadership across the operations as Wheels Up continues to integrate its recent acquisitions, namely Avianis, TMC, Gama Aviation and Delta Private Jets. He served in the US Air Force for 35 years, and his deep experience and expertise in aviation and management spans the globe and includes more than 3,500 hours flown in various aircraft as a fighter pilot.

As CBO, Horowitz will continue to work closely with Wheels Up founder and chief executive officer Kenny Dichter and chief financial officer Eric Jacobs on strategic opportunities, mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets to maximise the value of Wheels Up. Horowitz joined the company as general counsel in 2013 and was named as COO in 2017. Throughout his years at Wheels Up, he has played a key role in raising capital and creating stakeholder value, helping to drive an enterprise value in excess of $1.5 billion.

“Thomas and Jason are fulfilling two dynamic roles at Wheels Up that will be integral to our continued growth,” says Dichter. “I'm honoured that general Bergeson is joining our team, bringing his impressive record of leadership and service; and Jason's experience as a leader within our organisation makes him the ideal person for the new CBO role to drive stakeholder value.”

Bergeson adds: “I'm thrilled to be a part of the Wheels Up team and leveraging my 35 years of US Air Force experience as we continue to scale up our global operations.”

“Since our inception in 2013, I have had the privilege to be a part of Wheels Up's operations, key acquisitions and expansion,” says Horowitz. “Following our recent acquisitions and the expansion of our product offerings, I am looking forward to further evolve our business strategy and optimise for maximum growth as the new CBO, and I'm particularly excited to work with Tom as a key member of our senior team.”

The additions to the executive suite complement the roles of chief experience officer held by Gail Grimmett and chief growth officer held by Stephanie Chung; two new positions appointed in 2020.