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In profile: Russi Batliwala, Group Chairman of Chapman Freeborn

Published:
Read Time: 7 mins

Russi Batliwala began life at aircraft charter specialist Chapman Freeborn as a trainee aviation broker, working from an office in Germany with only two other colleagues. Now, 33 years on, he has been appointed chairman of the business, which has risen to become a global operation regarded as one of the biggest and best in its sector.

It is a remarkable story of loyalty, ambition and determination to deliver results over more than three decades. But the 56-year-old says he has never lost the passion and sense of awe for aviation which he first experienced as a young boy taking flights with his pilot father.

Here he reveals the secrets of his journey and his vision for the future of Chapman Freeborn, having moved from being a hands-on CEO, in charge of day to day operations, to a strategic role at a business which is now part of the Avia Solutions Group (ASG) and has its sights set on further growth…

Q You’ve been on a 33-year professional journey with Chapman Freeborn. What does this latest move to chairman mean to you?

A "First of all I'm very grateful to the board at Avia Solutions Group, which acquired the business last year, for allowing me to move into the position. From my perspective, going from CEO to chairman, allows me to now have a different perspective on the business and provides a further opportunity to add value in a new way.

“My future is going to be about representing the group at a very high level, and also on a major interest area of mine - mergers and acquisitions.”

Q Can you tell us a little bit about why you chose aviation as a career and how your love affair with aviation began?

A “I come from an aviation family and as a small child I remember flying around in a DC3, my father in the cockpit. So, I've always been involved with aeroplanes and I've always loved travelling in aircraft - and I still do today. Every time I see an aeroplane taking off, I still get a kick – even after all these years!”

Q So, did you deliberately target a career in the aviation industry?

A “You would expect that to be true, but in fact coming to Chapman Freeborn was actually a coincidence. I just saw a small advert in a newspaper in Germany and applied. But when I look back and think where I came from, I do sometimes think that perhaps this was what was always in store for me.”

Q What was your first role at the company?

A “I was a trainee aviation broker but, in those days, Chapman Freeborn was a very small company – we were an office of only three people in Germany. That meant I got to do everything – from looking after the petty cash to chartering aircraft. It was a really interesting time and what was most important was that the company gave me all the freedom to get on and develop the business – and ultimately to be successful. I was empowered to ‘get on with it’ and then I built the business together with a lot of other people.”

Q Chapman Freeborn is a global business these days, would it be hard for a young Russi to develop in the same way now?

A “I hope not. Being given the freedom and ability to be creative helped me get the business to where it is today, and we still like to create an environment in which employees feel empowered and supported - and have the freedom to be creative to ‘get on and do it’. It’s an important part of our culture and we have incredible staff retention levels; a lot of employees have been with us for a long time.”

Q What do you think would make the industry attractive to a young up-and-coming worker now?

A “In the aviation and specifically the charter industry, no one day is ever the same. We have a huge variety of aircraft; we have a large number of customers and so many different situations - and those situations are never the same. So, if that excites you this is the industry to be in!

“Whether we’re helping people affected by natural disasters or looking after the requirements for VIPs on private jets, it's always something different and there’s always something new to learn. As a truly global business there are also huge opportunities for our people to experience new challenges in different areas of our business.”

Q Do you have a favourite moment in your career, looking back over the last 33 years?

A “The first time the charter industry started handing out awards for the best aviation broker we received the award - and for several years following that as well.

“I remember when we received the award for the first time, it was it was a great moment for me, I was very proud for all our teams across the world; it was a monumental experience.

“Also, I celebrated my 30th anniversary with the group not that long ago, and they organised a party for me inside a 747 freighter. The nose door was open, there were tables inside with something nice to drink, and the outside of the plane was decorated. That was very special.

“The other thing I’m always very proud of are the company weekends we organise. We have up to 150 people attend from all over the world, regardless of their role – whether they are part time in accounts or a country manager – and we bring them all together in different cities across Europe every year. Standing in front of all those people and seeing how motivated and happy they are is also very special to me.”

Q Can you paint us a bit of a picture as to how your company has grown over the years to become a leader in the air chartering sector?

A “I can make it very simple. Great customers. Great employees. A good portion of luck. A great company culture and, very importantly, not being greedy.

“Those are the basics, but we've developed as a business continuously over the decades, and about eight to 10 years ago we recognised that our core business was becoming more and more difficult because we had more and more competition.

“So, we made the decision that we wanted to diversify our business and control our own destiny - and we've successfully done that. We've made various acquisitions and sold companies that has been successful for us.”

Q What's next for the business?

A “It’s exciting. We were sold in 2019 to the Avia Solutions Group, and that has proved to be a perfect fit for us. We've had one year under the new owners now, and the business is thriving, and we continue to grow and invest in new businesses.

“We have a lot of opportunities going forward, particularly with our new owners and their emphasis on aircraft and aircraft acquisitions. I can see us having more and more assets to sell to our customers, and that will result in further growth. Then there’s the mergers and acquisitions which I will be involved in going forward.”

Q Chapman Freeborn also has a new CEO after Eric Erbacher was appointed from Cargolux Airlines where he was Director Charter Services & ACMI. What will he bring to the business?

“Eric is well known to the business, he spent three years with us in the past as Regional Director Asia - and we're thrilled he's back. He will bring with him his vast knowledge of the business and assist with the structure and strategy of the group going forward. I've known Eric for the last 30 years and he's a true professional and he truly understands our business. I’m very pleased that the Avia Solutions Group board made the decision to appoint him. Everything I've done in the past with Eric has always been very professional and very successful. So, it's a continuation of what has been a long working relationship over many, many years.

Q It sounds like you still have a big commitment to the business, even if your role is now less concerned with day to day operations?

A “I do – and I want to make clear also that I am not disappearing. I don't have a yacht, and my wife hates water! So, I'm not planning to sail off into the sunset. I intend to be around to help Eric and the team, but also to give advice and assistance to anybody in the group.”

Ends

Editors notes

The Chapman Freeborn group was established in the UK in 1973. The company has offices worldwide, including North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. In the cargo market, Chapman Freeborn Airchartering specialises in the charter and lease of aircraft for a wide-ranging customer base, including freight forwarders, multinational corporations, , humanitarian agencies and a host of industries around the globe. In addition to freight services, Chapman Freeborn offers specialist passenger services including private jet charters for executive travel and large aircraft for crew rotations and international group travel.

Chapman Freeborn is a family member of Avia Solutions Group, the largest aerospace business group from Central & Eastern Europe with 83 offices and production stations providing aviation services and solutions worldwide.

Russi Batiwala - for press.jpg

Russi Batiwala - for press.jpg