Our People

Jie Wu

Chairman

Mr Wu graduated from the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) with a Bachelor of Laws degree.  He obtained an EMBA degree at Peking University, Economic Faculty and CEIBS MBA School after graduation.  He practised as a lawyer from 1989 to 1991 and founded Zhejiang Rifa Textile Machinery Co Ltd in 1993.  In 1999 he founded Zhejiang Rifa Precision Machinery Co Ltd, which is currently listed on the Shenzheng Stock Exchange.  Mr Wu is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Zhejiang Rifa Holding Group Co Ltd, a company which he founded in 2002.

Mark Pitt

Director

Mark is currently International Adviser for Airline Executives and Boards, Safety Specialist, Director on Airways NZ Board (Air Traffic Management), Chairman of Airways Safety Board, RIFA Non-Executive Director AWK Holdings Ltd, Managing Director Quinn International distribution, owner of NM3 International Investments Pty Ltd, owner Ginger and Me Pty Ltd and Owner Frontseat Leadership Solutions. Chief Executive and airline managing director of Virgin Australia Airlines (NZ) Ltd, Virgin Samoa and Air New Zealand Link.

Senior airline roles in regional and international airlines, both full service and low -cost models, include Chief Executive, Managing Director, Flight Operations Manager and Director of Air Force Recruitment.

Chung Mak

Director

Mr Mak as more than 20 years of experience in the advisory, aviation and aerospace industries in China, the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and has a record of developing and managing new and established businesses.

Prior to joining Airwork, Mr Mak held senior management positions at Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd, Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies, Seabury Group, Atlas Air and SF Express.  He is currently based in Hong Kong and is also a Director of PLUS Logistics Solutions Limited.

Florence Wong

Group Chief Financial Officer

Florence recently joined Airwork as Director, Investor Relations. She has over 16 years of commercial experience in New Zealand with Carter Holt Harvey and Ernst and Young advising corporates on their investment strategy, compliance matters and due diligence reviews. Her most recent role being the Associate Director of Transaction Tax and the Head of the China Business Group at Ernst and Young. Florence is a CA member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Accounting from the University of Auckland. In her role, Florence will also assist the company as we look to develop opportunities in the China market.

Shane McMahon

CEO - Helicopter Division

Shane joined Airwork in August 2017. Shane has a broad background in general management, operations, sales and marketing. With a degree in Economics, Shane spent time working in the US, Europe and UK before returning to NZ in 2000. In 2002 he joined Navman and held a number of roles including Head of Marketing and Business Development where he was responsible for three global marine brands and sales channels in 50 countries. Shane has also held roles at Bank of NZ where he led a sales team in the Corporate and Institutional bank and General Manager of Fusion Electronics, a New Zealand based business with five offices globally which was recently sold to Garmin. Shane spent the last eight years at Infratil owned NZ Bus, where he was Chief Operating Officer Northern, leading a team of over 1500 people with significant enhancements in customer service and business performance made during his time.

Daniela Marsilli

CEO - Fixed Wing Division

Daniela has over 25 years of experience in the commercial contract aviation industry and was until recently CEO of dnata Australia, having previously worked at Qantas Group and prior to that as CEO of Cobham Australia (previously National Jet Systems) for over a decade.  She is currently based in Australia and is an experienced board member with a chartered accounting background.

Wayne Christie

Director of Sales and Leasing - Helicopters

Wayne is the Director of Sales and Leasing for the Helicopter Division, and has been at Airwork since October 2006.  Before joining Airwork, Wayne was the General Manager of Origin Pacific Airfreight Limited for seven years.  Prior to that, he was General Manager of the airline CityJet and responsible for its growth from one aircraft to five whilst also serving as a Captain. Wayne holds an Airline Transport Pilot Licence.

Greg Chase

General Manager - Fixed Wing Operations

After graduating Massey University in 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation/Air Transport Pilot Major, Greg moved to export airfreight operations for TNT Express before being recruited into Airwork in 2004 to support the companies first major international operation with Palau Micronesia. Greg initially startED as Flight Operations Controller before advancing to take carriage of the Operations Control Department supporting the company’s growth into FIFO, passenger charters and freight operations within Australasia, the Pacific and South East Asia. In 2009 Greg progressed to Client Relationship Manager, moving between Australia and New Zealand to look after all the Fixed Wing Division major clients. Greg was promoted to General Manager of the Fixed Wing Division in July 2019.

Chris Bell

General Counsel

Chris joined Airwork in 2020 as General Counsel and Company Secretary and has over 20 years of experience working as a lawyer in New Zealand, Europe, Hong Kong and the UK. Before joining Airwork, Chris was a Partner and General Counsel for a London based global asset manager with approximately £14 billion under management. In this role, Chris was a member of the senior management team and chief legal advisor to the Board. Prior to this, Chris worked for a London based hedge fund having previously been a corporate lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in London and with a leading law firm in New Zealand.

Chris has international experience in a range of transactions, including public and private M&A, private equity, capital raisings, IPO’s and joint venture arrangements in different jurisdictions and sectors. His background also includes very strong commercial, risk management, governance and business strategy experience to complement his legal skills. He has also been a director of regulated fund management companies in the UK and Ireland which operated 35+ funds and managed over £5.8 billion of assets.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from Auckland University and is admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.

Brian Fair

Chief Information Officer

Brian joined Airwork in 2014 as Chief Information Officer, after spending 4 years in Australia as the CIO of Wesfarmers Insurance.  Brian previously held technology leadership roles at Lumley Insurance, ASB Bank, and KPMG Consulting/BearingPoint. Brian has a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Information Systems, a Master of Business Leadership degree from the University of South Africa.