Airline Economics has chosen its 40 under 40 for 2024 and High Ridge Aviation’s Felix Siu tops the current class. Airline Economics awards the Future Leader award to the individual with the most impressive nominations from clients among all those short-listed based on endorsements received from the industry and their career achievements to date.

From Airline Economics:

Each year, the Airline Economics 40 Under 40 list grows not only in size but in stature. The Class of 2025 is no exception. With 112 nominations and an unprecedented 1,800+ endorsements – many from the most senior and respected voices in aviation – this year’s cohort represents the very best of emerging talent in the industry…

This year, we are proud to name Felix Siu, SVP Sales & Marketing Asia at High Ridge Aviation, as our Future Leader. Felix received an outpouring of endorsements from clients, colleagues, and peers, all attesting to his leadership, innovation, and impact across the aviation sector.

… This year’s 40 Under 40 are not just shaping the future of aviation—they are defining it.”

Felix Siu’s path into aviation finance was sparked over a decade ago by the industry’s global reach and enduring resilience. His interest took flight in the early 2010s during his time in Standard Chartered’s international management trainee program, where the dynamic and capital-intensive nature of aviation finance first captured his attention.

Since then, Felix has cultivated a diverse and international career spanning aircraft leasing, financing, trading, and asset management. His work has enabled him to build lasting partnerships with airlines, lessors, banks, and investors across the globe— earning a reputation for both strategic insight and trusted collaboration in a fast- evolving sector.

Felix is currently serving as senior vice president of sales and marketing for Asia at High Ridge Aviation (HRA), an asset manager backed by PIMCO. Based in Hong Kong, Felix is responsible for originating aircraft transactions, managing airline relationships, and driving commercial strategy across the Asia-Pacific region. Since joining HRA in 2023, he has played a key role in building out the firm’s presence in the region during its critical start-up phase.

A defining moment in Felix’s career came shortly after joining HRA, as one of its first commercial hires outside the core GECAS alumni base. “Helping to establish HRA’s market presence during its critical start-up phase – and working closely with our sponsor, PIMCO, to close the platform’s inaugural flagship fund – has been both the most challenging and rewarding experience of my career so far,” says Felix.

Prior to HRA, he spent four years at ORIX Aviation, where he served as director of sales and leasing for Asia. In that role, he oversaw remarketing, leasing, and trading activities across the region, acting as the de facto regional head of commercial for a platform managing over $7.5bn in assets.

Earlier in his career, Felix spent nearly nine years at Standard Chartered’s aviation finance arm, Pembroke Capital, rising through the ranks from associate to director.

Looking more specifically at the past 12 months, Felix expresses his pride in having led the origination and closing of over $300 million worth of aircraft acquisitions and supported more than $100 million in limited partner capital commitments from the Asia-Pacific region.

When discussing challenges that are currently facing the industry, Felix stated that even as supply chains recover and aircraft deliveries ramp up, supply- demand imbalances are expected to persist in Felix’s opinion, particularly for widebodies – well into the next decade.

“Limited aircraft availability will continue to challenge the industry, with significant implications for operators and investors alike,” he states. “Meanwhile, macroeconomic uncertainty, trade tensions, and geopolitical risks remain top of mind for all stakeholders.”

Despite these headwinds, he acknowledges meaningful growth opportunities in both the debt and leasing markets. “As aviation continues to shift toward a managed- money model – where third-party investors such as insurers, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices increasingly own aircraft and partner with asset managers like HRA – the ability to deliver disciplined underwriting and strong customer service will be key,” he added.

Looking to the future, Felix hopes to expand access to flexible and competitive financing for airlines worldwide, particularly as they manage growth and fleet transitions. “Aviation is on a remarkable trajectory,” he says. “It’s an exciting time to be part of this dynamic industry, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to its evolution.”

He also hopes to play a role in expanding access to innovative and competitive financing solutions for airlines globally – particularly as they seek to fund growth and maintain fleet flexibility.
For Felix, there is never a dull moment in aviation, noting that this is an exciting time to be part of this evolving landscape.