Jetrader

At a Glance: Greta Jankune of Stratos

Jetrader: What do you like most about the aviation industry?

Greta Jankune (GJ): Aviation sits at the intersection of global finance, geopolitics, and transportation, which means the learning curve never really ends. I enjoy analyzing airlines and seeing how the dynamics of the underlying subsectors (freight or passenger) translate into aircraft demand. It is a complex industry but extremely interesting when you start understanding how everything connects.

The global environment evolves and airline strategies have to change quickly. Anyone working in aviation understands that uncertainty is part of the job. However, on a day-to-day basis, there are a lot of transactions, and often they face unexpected hurdles and, therefore, demand creative solutions.

I guess that is the thrill. To be in the middle of all this activity and feel like you are helping to make that change happen.

Jetrader: What is the most challenging part of your profession?

GJ: During my career, I have been involved in two important areas: risk management and marketing. It is important to our clients that we understand the lessees of the aircraft (airlines) well. Accordingly, we must analyze their financial performance and their markets in great depth. We also have to keep in constant contact with the airlines and their executives (an area which I enjoy in particular) in order to understand their strategy and to pre-empt their growth initiatives and capital requirements.

Marketing is critical for companies in the leasing industry. It is a discipline that is close to my heart and in which I have exceled. Having graduated from a school of arts as a pianist and conductor, creativity and harmony have always been an integral part of my background and naturally complement my approach to marketing.

Internal marketing plays a critical role in building a company with a healthy culture and a strong team spirit through offsites/events and internal communication. External marketing supports the efforts of the finance and marketing teams to deliver a strong message to clients and present companies’ vision, competitive advantages and strategic initiatives through the right prism. Although I enjoy risk and marketing equally, it is also a healthy challenge to my mind to reconcile the analytical with the creative.

Jetrader: What was your first job?

GJ: My first role in aviation focused on research, CRM and financial analysis. It was an intense introduction to the industry but also the best possible way to learn quickly. Overall, it was a logical next step after graduating from the International University of Monaco with a degree in business administration in marketing, sales and services.

Jetrader: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the industry?

GJ: Be curious, dedicated and spend time learning from the people around you, but don’t forget to offer them something in return (in the form of hard work and being available). If you have the opportunity to work with people that have a vast amount of experience in the industry, pay attention and ask questions — that is where the real education happens.

Remain conscious of the company culture and team spirit, as these are critical success factors in any organization. Try to make a constructive contribution to both these areas.

Networking also matters more than people sometimes realize. The aviation community is global but surprisingly small, and relationships built early in your career can stay with you for decades.

And finally, have confidence in yourself. It is important to learn from others, but it is just as important to stand up for your ideas, your work and your professional standards and not be easily discouraged.

Jetrader: Who has had the greatest influence on your career?

GJ: There have been a wide variety of friends and colleagues who have been a positive influence; two individuals who had a particularly strong impact on my professional development are my former colleagues Neil Lewis and Paul Goodfellow.

Neil, our former head of operations, played an important role in shaping my understanding of the leasing and financial side of the aviation industry. I learned a lot from his leadership and emotional intelligence. I am grateful to him for believing in me, supporting my development and giving me valuable insight into how financial perspectives influence strategic decisions in aviation.

Paul, who served as head of risk and restructuring, was equally influential. Through his mentorship, I gained a much deeper understanding of airline behaviour, risk management and restructuring strategies. He helped me develop the analytical approach needed to evaluate the many factors influencing airline performance and to understand many of the complex dynamics underpinning risk in the industry.

Learning from professionals with such diverse but complementary perspectives significantly shaped the way I approach my work today.

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