Story ID: 064Aebi
Jet Aviation's Aebi Retires
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Having headed up Jet Aviation's communications department for the past three decades, Heinz Aebi has watched the company evolve.
Word Count: 274
Heinz Aebi, Jet Aviation’s affable and long-serving vice president of group marketing and communications, is calling it a career after 29 years with the Zürich-based company. During his tenure, company ownership moved from a closely-held family business to private equity management firm Permira Advisers, and through its purchase by General Dynamics in 2008.

He joined the-then Hirschmann family-owned company in November 1990 as marketing manager, following stints as the club secretary of one of Zurich’s most famous soccer teams and as an aide to the mayor of Zürich. When Jet Aviation temporarily relocated its headquarters to Palm Beach, Florida, he moved to the U.S., as well, and came home when it returned to Switzerland in the mid-2000s.

He shepherded the company’s communications division through the dawn of the internet age, recalling how it was one of the first in the industry with its own website. That was a novelty at the time and drew many queries from his peers and competitors. Jet Aviation also introduced now-ubiquitous email. Along the way, Aebi attended 28 of NBAA’s annual conferences and numerous other industry events such as EBACE and regional forums, managing the company’s marketing presence.

Aebi, who made his last public appearance with the company at NBAA ’19 in Las Vegas, will officially retire at the beginning of January. He previously handed over the department reins to Elouisa Dalli, who succeeds him as vice president.

“You always look forward, and then when comes the moment when you look back, you can’t believe how fast it went,” Aebi told AIN in October.