Chapman Freeborn has appointed Mark Thibault as president, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Alain Champonnois as president, India, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) as it looks to expand its presence in both regions. The appointments bring 65 years of experience to Chapman Freeborn which, in conjunction with a new office in Saudi Arabia, form part of its growth strategy in the regions.

"Mark and Alain are both extremely experienced aviation professionals and we welcome them to the Chapman Freeborn team," says group CEO Eric Erbacher. "Their decades of expertise combined with their local market knowledge for their respective regions gives me every confidence that they will be extremely successful in their new roles. I look forward to working with them closely to execute our ambitious growth strategies for both APAC and IMEA."

Joining as president, APAC, Thibault has been in business aviation for 40 years, holding mission-critical business, quality, safety and senior management roles for well-known operators in the Middle East, Asia and the US. "The opportunities in APAC are tremendous. I'm looking forward to working with new colleagues and clients across the region," he says.

Champonnois has held senior positions in business aviation for over 25 years and is set to focus on accelerating Chapman Freeborn's growth in IMEA. "I look forward to sharing my expertise in the region and driving Chapman Freeborn's services forward at a strategic level," he says. "The IMEA market is growing, and there are a lot of exciting opportunities ahead of us."

Chapman Freeborn's new office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was opened in response to growing demand in the region and to better service customers operating within IMEA.