About Us
Johnny Lau
CEO
Background
Johnny established Astro Aircraft Leasing in March 2015 and acted as CEO. Johnny started his career at the Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong. In late 1980s, he joined Cathay Pacific Airways Six years later he joined Babcock & Brown then Macquarie Bank. Johnny was recruited by Citi's Asset Finance Group in 2001 and his last capacity was Asia=Pacific Regional Head of Aviation. In 2008, Johnny was appointed as Global Head, Aviation Finance and Managing Director of ICBC Leasing in Beijing. Johnny was then group CFO of spring. Immediately before setting up Astro Aircraft Leasing, Johnny was CEO Aircraft leasing Division, Minsheng Financial Leasing.
From May 2018 to June 2024, Johnny was appointed as Chief Consultant - Aviation Business Services in PwC China Limited. The initiative took the lead within the global advisory firm to serve aviation clients including government and commercial corporations. Leading a team of professionals and being responsible to lead the aviation franchise, Johnny has helped PwC win mandates from SOEs, leasing companies, airlines, banks and investors to provide advisory services with respect to aircraft financing, trading and leasing transactions as well as business related to strategy formulation, policy studies, investments, mergers and acquisitions, involving airports, special economic/trade zones, MROs and various aviation entities. .
Experience
- Johnny possesses 35 years of working experience in aviation and finance, focusing on aircraft financing, trading and leasing businesses.
- Johnny has focused on arranging domestic and cross-border leases for Asian clients in aviation, shipping and telecommunication industries.
- Johnny had been involved in aircraft financing, corporate finance, M&A, risk management and transaction banking products for airlines, airports, aircraft leasing companies, MRO and manufacturing customers.
- As CEO Aircraft Leasing Division of Minsheng Financial Leasing, Johnny led a team of 50 professional executives in the Division managing a fleet of over 130 aircraft.
- Johnny also helped founding Spring Airlines Japan by recruiting Japanese investors for Spring Airline's first overseas subsidiary.
- During Johnny’s leadership, ICBC Leasing’s aviation portfolio grew from zero to approximately US$3.5 billion with a fleet of 68 aircrafts. ICBC Leasing was also awarded three Deal of the Year awards from 2009-2011 and became the first Chinese leasing company to set up a special purpose company in China, forming an overseas venture and making a speculative order of 62 A320 aircraft with Airbus.
Qualifications
Johnny is a CPA of HKICPA and a Fellow Member of ACCA in the UK. He holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences Degree and a Master of Business Administration Degree from The University of Hong Kong.
Appointment
- Chief Consultant of Aviation Business Services in PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd. from May 2018 to June 2024;
- Senior Special Advisor (Aviation Industry) of Dong Jiang Free Trade Port Government in Tianjin since September 2014;
- Member of Banking and Finance Industry Training Board, Hong Kong Vocational Training Council since 2016;
- Member of Business Administration Programme Advisory Committee (BA PAdvC) of the Institute of Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK) of Hong Kong from 1 Sep 2016 to 31 Aug 2022;
- Executive committee member of the Hong Kong Aircraft Leasing and Aviation Finance Association from 1 Nov 2018 to 31 Oct 2019;
- Expert member of Aircraft Leasing Special Committee, Guangdong Provincial Financial Leasing Association in 2018;
- Convenor of social groups of industry practitioners in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, governor of CHAPS (Community of Hong Kong Aviation Professionals)
- External Examiner of Professional Diploma in Aircraft Leasing and Aviation Finance, Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education; and
- Visiting Lecturer in the Interdisciplinary Division of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Special Expert of the Aviation and Shipping Industry Finance Research Center of Fudan International School of Finance
Insights
AIRFINANCE JOURNAL CHINA, 30 SEP 2020
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the panelists in the discussion.
Panel discussion: Air Finance Outlook (14 Nov) & How the next generation narrow and wide-body aircraft will change the shape of air travel in Asia (15 Nov)
CAPA Aviation summit, Singapore 14 - 15 Nov 2019
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the panelists in the discussion.
HONGKONG, 29 MAR 2019
Guangzhou, 19 JaN 2018
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the speakers in the forum.
amcham taxation committee luncheon, hong kong
11 JULY 2017
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the speakers in the event.
ISHKA, Clontarf castle, Dublin 5 JUL 2017
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the speakers in the event.
HKGCC roundtable luncheon, hong kong 15 MAY 2017
Our CEO Johnny Lau & Mr. John Timpany, international tax partner with KPMG China, spoke on the business opportunities arising from Hong Kong's new tax regime on aircraft leasing at Chamber roundtable luncheon. They covered a range of issues that included the global outlook on aircraft leasing, opportunities in China market and the accruable benefits to Hong Kong as a result of the new tax law....
istat asia, hong kong 11 May 2017
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the speakers in the event.
New Sources of Funding - Asia
ISTAT ASIA, TOKYO 19 MAY 2016
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the speakers in the event.
第四届中国航空金融发展（东疆）国际论坛, 24 Sept 2015
Our CEO Johnny Lau was one of the speakers in the forum.
Insights
中国经济导报 (作者: 崔立勇) , 12 DEC 2021
刘浩然表示，中国多家航空公司已经开始采取多种措施实现减碳：东航提升机队运行效率，促进航行新技术的应用，缩短飞机地面等待时间和滑行等待时间；南航通过机队优化、单发滑入等技术优化和航路优化、航油管理等举措，减少燃油消耗；川航在四川联合环境交易所购买国内CCER项目，抵消航班燃油排放的二氧化碳......
财新网 記者: 贾天琼, 16 DEC 2021
据刘浩然介绍，飞机及发动机制造商主要通过探索新能源和降低发动机能耗、提高燃油利 用率，减少碳排放。如发动机制造商CFM，投入50%以上的研发投入改进引擎效率；空客公司 则支持电动、氢能、可持续燃油技术等零碳技术研发，计划2035年研发出世界首架零碳商用 飞机.....
中国经济新闻网讯（记者: 刘慧), 16 DEC 2021
刘浩然表示，当前，领先的飞机制造商、零部件供应商、机场、航空公司、飞机租赁公司、航空融资银行等已经开始积极行动。但由于可用的替代技术有限，与其他运输部门相比，航空业去碳化尤其具有挑战性。需要航空业各参与者从多维度共同努力....
财经网 (编辑：文静), 16 DEC 2021
...相关航空企业需要对纳入碳交易提前做好准备，目前国内部分中小型企业仍未开展相关工作。”刘浩然称，碳交易对航空企业带来的成本提升不会特别显著....
周到上海 (记者: 曹西京), 16 DEC 2021
普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然指出：“当前领先的飞机制造商、零部件供应商、机场、航空公司、飞机租赁公司、航空融资银行等已经开始积极行动。但由于可用的替代技术有限，与其他运输部门相比，航空业减碳尤其具有挑战性，需要各参与者共同努力....
经济网 (编辑：宋杰), 16 DEC 2021
普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然指出：“当前，领先的飞机制造商、零部件供应商、机场、航空公司、飞机租赁公司、航空融资银行等已经开始积极行动。但由于可用的替代技术有限，与其他运输部门相比，航空业去碳化尤其具有挑战性.....
经济观察网 (记者 沈怡然), 15 DEC 2021
普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然表示指出：航空运输业实现可持续发展，至少需要五个方面的工作。第一，航空燃油持续优化。美国、中国和英国的航空二氧化碳排放量占据全球前3位.....
中新网上海 (编辑：姜煜), 15 DEC 2021
普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然指出：“当前，领先的飞机制造商、零部件供应商、机场、航空公司、飞机租赁公司、航空融资银行等已经开始积极行动。但由于可用的替代技术有限，与其他运输部门相比，航空业去碳化尤其具有挑战性.....
证券日报网 (记者: 朱宝琛), 15 DEC 2021
普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然表示，当前，领先的飞机制造商、零部件供应商、机场、航空公司、飞机租赁公司、航空融资银行等已经开始积极行动。但由于可用的替代技术有限，与其他运输部门相比，航空业去碳化尤其具有挑战性。需要航空业各参与者从多维度共同努力....
Media
渤海租赁 - 【每周租赁观察】(资讯来源：财经网）20 JUL 2020
...航空公司经历过去十几年繁荣增长，在谈判过程中处于较优势地位。“租赁公司的谈判能力在2019年或以前是比较弱的，目前的疫情情况会给租赁公司提供不同的谈判角度。”普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然指出。....
中国经济新闻网 - 記者: 劉惠 21JUL 2020
普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然指出..“租赁公司的谈判能力在2019年或以前是比较弱的，目前的疫情情况会给租赁公司提供不同的谈判角度....
产业经济在线, 17 JUL 2020
...普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然指出：...航空公司目前碰到的问题很大，所以很多航空公司会选择做售后回租(即航空公司的飞机卖给租赁公司，同时和租赁公司签订同批飞机的租赁合同)..
中国发展网, 17 JUL 2020 (责任编辑：刘润)
...普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然认为：......疫情过后，全球的飞机数量，包括新飞机供应，会相对减少，对以后的市场可能会造成供求关系的变化，供求关系快速变化时，机会往往更多。”...
财经网, 17 JUL 2020 (编辑：文静)
...“租赁公司的谈判能力在2019年或以前是比较弱的，目前的疫情情况会给租赁公司提供不同的谈判角度。”普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然指出。....
IASC, 24 MAY 2020
...Johnny从业30年，亲身经历过多次经济周期和调整，淬炼出了洞见。今天对话IASC，他为我们生动地讲述了飞机租赁公司和航空公司共生互补的关系；飞机投资方和运营方的合作和博弈；以及周期中供求关系快速变化中衍生的商机...
2 MAR2020 文/《财经》记者 陈亮 王静仪 编辑/施智梁,
...普华永道航空业务服务首席顾问刘浩然告诉《财经》记者，对以往靠融资来应对日常开支的小航空公司来说，市场不景气，金融机构融资减少或者断贷，这些公司将会面临险境。....
PwC Aviation newsletter, mar2020
...Johnny says.....we witness continually low lease rental factors, high aircraft costs and low interest rate margins. It has become more difficult to find attractive deals even with new, lower return expectations as compared to previous times....
第GC03版：广州观察·经济 16 Aug 2019
....普华永道专家顾问刘浩然建议，南沙可将金融市场配置到飞机租赁，配合国际惯例做金融产品，进行金融投资。“未来可建立飞机服务公司，大量引进、培养优秀人才。”
airfinance, 15 MAY 2019
Be one of the Panelists, Johnny joined to analyse aircraft asset-backed securitization, & discuss its corresponding benefits and identify associated business in webinar. "....A bit of equity kick will be attractive for investors,” confirmed Johnny Lau
airfinance, 15 MAY 2019
"This will provide a good market environment for potential issuers. There will be issuers who show more interest, "said Johnny Lau...
Analysis: Terminating the zombies - regulatory oversight shift for Chinese lessors
airfinance, 20 SEP 2018
...Laus says that this ambiguity is dangerous and advises lessors unsure of the implications of the new regulations to take a step back....
airfinance, 22 NOV2017
...Astro Aircraft Leasing's Johnny Lau said that many of his Chinese investor clients have been drawn to Hong Kong after the city's legislature passed a bill reducing the effective tax rate for aircraft leasing companies domiciled in Hong Kong to 1.65%....
Media
AIRFINANCE, 25 APR 2017
""In the past, you would give the banks certain names and discussions would be a non-starter, but now One Belt One Road is the magic phrase." said Johnny Lau.
Reuters, 3 Feb 2016
"The political drive is there for China to be part of the global economy,", said Johnny Lau.
aViation Finance, Vol. 5, issue 23
'Western leasing companies and banks have employed staff and agents inside China. There are a lot of newly incorporated domestic companies - in particular leasing companies – which have become more powerful, both in terms of resources and new ideas. The market share of non-Chinese companies has declined as a result and this is disturbing,' says Lau.
south china morning post, 1 oct 2015
"Chinese lessors are desperately courting aircraft management talent as many now have to deal with aircraft coming out of lease contracts for the first time, and a record number of new planes are about to be delivered into China,", said Johnny Lau.
Flightglobal, 23 Apr 2015
Astro Aircraft Leasing plans to tap the growing appetite in Hong Kong for investment into leased aircraft.
CAPA, 4 Mar 2015
“You need to prepare when you are in good shape, so don’t wait until you are in need of money, you have to do it when everybody is coming to you… That’s the perfect timing for you to negotiate the best deal.”, said Johnny Lau.
CAPA, 4 MAR 2015
"the amount of regulatory paperwork required to satisfy regulators within China will “hinder any positive aggressive development” of the leasing business in the country.", said Johnny Lau.
airfinance, 30 Mar 2015
Former Minsheng executive sets up own leasing company in Hong Kong.
airfinance, 30 Mar 2015
Former Minsheng executive sets up own leasing company in Hong Kong.
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