MENA Aerospace makes key management appointments

Dr. Mohamed Juman, MENA Aerospace’s managing director said: “We are pleased to see our management team expand so that our expansion is properly managed and supported. We see serious improvements in the local aviation sector, and appreciate the guidance and assistance provided by Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs in this regard. As a Bahrain-based business we are actively and aggressively investing behind our aerospace projects in Bahrain, and developing new ones. Our investors share our confidence in the future of aviation in Bahrain, and are eager to maximise these opportunities during this phase of extraordinary growth.”

MENA Aerospace has made the following appointments:

• Mr. Ralph Eisenschmid has been appointed to chief executive officer, MENA Aerospace Enterprises corporate group.
• Mr. Omar Mattar has been appointed to general manager of MENA Aerospace Enterprises.
• Mr. Steve Wilks has been appointed to general manager of MAE Aircraft Management, MENA Aerospace’s airline division.

Ralph Eisenschmid has been part of the MENA Aerospace management team since the company’s founding in 2004. Ralph was promoted from his position as cChief operating officer and acting chief executive officer which he has held since 2006. As one of the first employees at MENA, Ralph was instrumental in establishing MENA Aerospace and the subsidiaries which form the MENA Aerospace corporate group today.

Above: Ralph Eisenschmid.

In his new role, Ralph will also be responsible for regional growth of the corporate group, maintaining Bahrain as the group’s base. Ralph started his career providing aviation IT solutions developed and delivered by the company he founded. Ralph has also worked as a commercial pilot as well as holding senior management and executive positions in the aviation sector, including being part of the launch teams for a number of airline start-ups. Ralph brings over 25 years’ aviation experience to MENA Aerospace.

Above: Omar Matar.

Omar Matar joined MENA Aerospace as an adviser in March 2011, and was subsequently appointed as its general manager in May of 2011. Omar has over 30 years of aviation experience, of which 31 years were spent with Gulf Air. Omar started his aviation career at Gulf Air as a trainee aircraft maintenance engineer and later, as a fully qualified engineer caring for the Gulf Air fleet of aircraft. In 1999 Omar was involved in overseeing the build-up, delivery and entry into service of Gulf Air’s Airbus A330 fleet in Toulouse, France. Before retiring from Gulf Air in 2010, Omar held the position of Head of In-Flight Services. Omar holds an MBA from the University of Glamorgan in Wales, UK.  

Above: Steve Wilks.

Steve Wilks is a New Zealand qualified Accountant with extensive experience in the aviation and transport industries, having held senior operations in finance and management.  Steve’s background includes New Zealand and overseas appointments with particular emphasis on company operational and financial restructuring, change management, operational financial systems development, and management and administration.  Prior to joining MAE Aircraft Management in February of 2011, Steve worked with a privately owned Indonesian airline where he headed an operations team who, in 2009, was successful in being the first Indonesian airline to be removed from the EU operating ban. The same airline further achieved IOSA registration in February 2010 and realised dramatic improvements in efficiency across all operations.

Above: Dr. Mohamed Juman, managing director, MENA Aerospace.