About Strake Aero

Strake Aero is a privately owned aviation advisory firm with presence in USA and India. We connect the cockpit, the boardroom, and the hangar. Strake Aero supports operators, lessors, and investors across the globe through independent Aircraft Sales & Leasing advisory, comprehensive aircraft customization advisory and AOG parts support.

About The Role

Strake Aero is seeking a Head of Business Development & Legal to lead the company’s commercial growth across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia while serving as the company’s legal head.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this role will originate and execute growth opportunities across Strake Aero’s full-service portfolio, including aircraft sales and leasing, AOG parts solutions, structured financing solutions, and air operations related advisory and support. The role requires a commercially driven leader who can open markets, structure opportunities, manage relationships, and provide legal oversight across company operations and transactions.

Core Responsibilities

1. Regional Business Development Leadership

- Lead business development for Strake Aero Services across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, with accountability for market entry, relationship development, prospect origination, and revenue growth.
- Build and manage relationships with aircraft owners, operators, lessors, OEMs, MROs, financiers, government stakeholders, operators, and strategic partners.
- Originate, qualify, and convert opportunities across aircraft sales, leasing, AOG parts solutions, structured financing, and air operations related advisory and support.
- Represent Strake Aero in target markets as a senior commercial leader, building brand presence, partner confidence, and predictable deal flow.

2. Multi-Service Commercial Growth

Drive business development across a diversified aviation services portfolio, including:

- Aircraft sales & leasing — aircraft sourcing, transaction advisory, client mandate development, acquisition/disposal strategy, leasing structures, and negotiations.
- AOG parts solutions — commercial development of parts support, supplier/OEM/MRO relationships, customer acquisition, and rapid-response support models.
- Structured financing solutions — coordination with financiers, lessors, investors, and clients to develop commercially viable acquisition and operating structures.
- Air operations advisory and support — business development and advisory support for operators and owners in relation to non-scheduled operator requirements, structures, market positioning, and operational growth.

3. Legal Leadership & Transaction Oversight





- Serve as the company’s legal point of contact and legal head, coordinating legal matters across commercial transactions, strategic partnerships, client engagements, vendor arrangements, and corporate requirements.
- Lead drafting, review, negotiation, and risk assessment of commercial agreements, mandate letters, aircraft transaction documents, leasing arrangements, NDAs, service agreements, and partnership documentation.
- Coordinate with external counsel, tax advisors, financiers, and regulatory specialists where specialist legal, jurisdictional, or compliance input is required.
- Identify and escalate legal, contractual, regulatory, sanctions, anti-bribery, data privacy, and commercial risk issues that may affect Strake Aero’s transactions or reputation.
- Provide legal and commercial judgement to the Executive Leadership Team on market expansion, transaction approval, strategic partnerships, and governance matters.

4. Executive Leadership & Strategic Planning

- Participate as a member of Strake Aero’s Executive Leadership Team, contributing to company strategy, growth priorities, governance, risk management, and operating cadence.
- Develop annual and quarterly business development plans for target regions, including revenue targets, pipeline priorities, market-entry initiatives, and key account strategies.
- Partner with internal stakeholders to convert commercial priorities into coordinated execution across sales, operations, finance, legal, and delivery teams.
- Prepare leadership updates on pipeline status, market developments, transaction risk, legal exposure, and strategic opportunities.

Candidate Profile

Experience & Track Record

- 10+ years of experience in aviation business development, aircraft sales/leasing, aviation services, structured finance, corporate/commercial legal practice, transaction management, or a related leadership role.
- Demonstrated ability to originate and close complex aviation transactions or aviation services mandates involving owners, operators, lessors, financiers, OEMs, MROs, or government/institutional counterparties.
- Existing relationships or working experience across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia strongly preferred.
- Experience combining commercial judgement with legal, contractual,



or regulatory risk awareness in cross-border transactions is highly desirable.

Legal, Commercial & Aviation Credentials

- Law degree or legal qualification strongly preferred; experience in corporate, commercial, aviation, leasing, finance, or cross-border transactions is highly desirable.
- Strong working knowledge of commercial agreements, mandate documentation, NDAs, service agreements, aircraft transaction documentation, and contracting risk.
- Understanding of aircraft sales, leasing, operating structures, financing options, and aviation services economics.
- Familiarity with AOG parts support, supplier documentation, service-level expectations, and customer/vendor contracting in aviation services.
- Ability to coordinate effectively with external counsel, financiers, advisors, and internal leadership on legal and commercial matters.
- Excellent negotiation, drafting, communication, relationship-management, and executive stakeholder-management skills.

Education

- Bachelor’s degree required. Law degree, company secretary qualification, MBA, aviation management, finance, or equivalent advanced qualification preferred.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are invited to submit their Resume accompanied by a Brief Work Sample or Strategic Portfolio such as an anonymized transaction case study, business development plan, legal memo, contract negotiation summary, or 90-day regional market entry memo to: [email protected].

Equal Opportunity & Inclusion at Strake Aero

At Strake Aero, we believe that the future of aviation is built on a foundation of diverse perspectives and inclusive thinking. Our strength lies in our differences, and we are dedicated to creating a workspace where equality is championed and every individual is empowered to soar.

We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, irrespective of ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, age, or social and cultural background. Your unique background is not just welcomed — it is celebrated as a vital part of our innovation.

Data Privacy & Recruitment Integrity

- Consent: By submitting your CV or application, you consent to Strake Aero using and storing your information for monitoring and recruitment purposes. Your data will be used exclusively by Strake Aero.
- Zero-Fee Policy: Strake Aero is committed to equal opportunities and will never ask for any form of monetary exchange during the recruitment process. If you encounter any person or entity requesting payment while impersonating our brand, please report it immediately to [email protected].

📌 Head of Business Development & Legal (Chennai)
🏢 Strake Aero
📍 Chennai