Nordic Aviation Group AS, which is owned by the Republic of Estonia and includes the brands Xfly and Nordica, has appointed Jan Palmer to the position of Chairman of the Management Board of the group. Following the departure of the former CEO earlier this year, only Financial Officer Eteri Harring remained on the board, fulfilling the role of CEO. With Harring’s replacement taking up his post on 1 July, the board will now operate with two members.
David O’Brock, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Nordic Aviation Group, described Jan Palmer as an experienced leader of aviation companies and one of the foremost aviation experts in Europe. “Having someone that experienced already working for the group, it made sense to utilise his expertise,” he said. “Jan has been working in aviation for 45 years and boasts a wealth of experience and an extraordinarily wide network of contacts. We’re happy that he’s agreed to contribute to the development and restructuring of the group.”
Jan Palmer says he has always been guided by the principle that the market dictates a company’s ability to stay in business, and that adapting to the existing situation is key to developing a sustainable aviation business. “The owners of our company expect it to be profitable, so that gives us a clear framework for meeting those expectations,” he said. ”As chairman, I’ll therefore be concentrating my efforts on developing both regional and long-distance ACMI services.”
Palmer has led many aviation companies in different countries throughout his career. Xfly, which began operating in 2016, has grown into a successful and profitable aviation company under Palmer’s leadership. The company focuses on providing subcontracting services around Europe. Palmer is also the president of the European Regions Airline Association, which unites almost 60 aviation companies, as well as the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer and many airports around Europe.
NAG currently operates 16 aircraft and employs almost 500 aviation specialists in Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Lithuania. This summer will see the group return to 90% of its pre-pandemic capacity. The company is planning to expand its fleet considerably in the short term, procuring at least 10 A320s in the next couple of years. The group is also analysing the possibility of using Embraer-type aircraft on Europe’s developing aviation market.