Retained executive search for aviation.
CEOs, Accountable Managers, nominated postholders and finance directors for airlines, business aviation, helicopter operators, MROs and CAMOs across the UK, Europe and the UAE.
PJETS Group, Executive SearchThe strongest candidates for these positions aren’t applying for jobs. They’re in post, running another operation.
Senior appointments across aviation.
- Board and C‑suite
- Chief Executive or Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Finance Director, Commercial Director, Technical Director, non-executive directors.
- Accountable Managers
- AOC, Part‑145, Part‑CAMO, Part‑21J and Part‑147 approvals.
- Nominated postholders (Form 4)
- Flight Operations, Crew Training, Ground Operations, Continuing Airworthiness, Maintenance Manager, Compliance Monitoring Manager, Safety Manager, Head of Design Organisation.
- Senior leadership
- Directors and heads of engineering, maintenance, flight operations, safety and quality, commercial, finance and HR.
Why retained search.
- A dedicated team.
- Retained searches are run by our dedicated executive search team.
- Always first.
- Retained searches take priority over all contingent work, always.
- The whole market.
- We map who holds equivalent roles today and approach them directly.
- Confidential.
- Your company isn’t named to candidates until you agree.
- Regulatory fit.
- Candidates are assessed against the authority’s requirements for the post, so Form 4 acceptance is planned from the start.
- Weekly updates.
- You hear from us every week until the appointment is made.
How a search runs.
Step 1: Brief
Role, requirements, package and timeline agreed in writing.
Step 2: Market map
Target organisations and individuals identified.
Step 3: Approach
Confidential conversations with the strongest candidates.
Step 4: Assessment
Interviews, references, and licence and regulatory history.
Step 5: Shortlist
A shortlist of candidates, with a written assessment of each.
Step 6: Appointment
Offer, notice period and Form 4 submission, supported through to the start date.
What clients say.
“We retained Louis and his team for an executive search that had to stay completely confidential. They mapped the market across several countries, approached people who were not looking to move, and gave us a shortlist we could not have built ourselves. The search was well run from brief to appointment, with clear updates every week.”
Global HR Director, helicopter OEM “Our team handles most hiring in-house, but for a senior postholder role we needed to reach further than we could on our own. The executive search team at PJETS went straight to people already in post at other airlines and planned for Form 4 acceptance from the start. The appointment was made within our timeline.”
Talent Team Leader, commercial airline, Europe
Louis Whalley
Director of Recruitment and Executive Search
Louis heads the recruitment and executive search department at PJETS Group. He has recruited licensed engineers, CAMO specialists and senior managers for business aviation, helicopter operators and Part‑145 organisations across Europe and the UAE, and now leads searches for Accountable Managers, nominated postholders and C‑suite appointments.
Start a confidential conversation.
Speak to LouisMost of our executive work is confidential. We don’t advertise these roles or publish client names.
Hiring below board and postholder level? See Recruitment →