FTI Consulting announced the appointment of Scott Gibson and Marty Kuehne as Senior Managing Directors in the global Aviation practice.
The appointments of Gibson, who is based in New York, and Kuehne, who is based in Chicago, significantly enhance FTI Consulting’s ability to assist airlines, manufacturers, lenders, lessors, investors and other aviation-industry players with strategy, growth and investment opportunities and talent development.
FTI Consulting’s Aviation practice leverages the firm’s global platform to advise clients on how to optimize their business, stabilize operations and maximize enterprise value through an ever-changing environment. The firm offers aviation-focused services including business transformation, communications and regulatory, transactions, turnaround and restructuring, and valuation and disputes advisory.
“FTI Consulting has had a remarkable track record in aviation, working on assignments for both domestic and international airlines,” said Marc Bilbao, a Senior Managing Director and Co-Leader of the Aviation practice at FTI Consulting. “Our commitment to service excellence and helping clients throughout the aviation ecosystem navigate the changing environment in which they operate means continually investing in exceptional talent that will further strengthen our capabilities in the sector. The aviation industry is a crucial part of any economy, and Scott and Marty bring valuable expertise to help management and boards address their most complex challenges and opportunities and optimize their business operations.”
Gibson brings more than 35 years of senior-level airline strategy, cost and revenue improvement, and restructuring consulting and management experience. He has worked with airline clients on strategy, transformation and restructuring assignments and with private equity clients on due diligence and turnaround matters focused on airline-related businesses and aerospace.
Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Gibson was a Managing Director and Head of Management Consulting at SkyWorks Capital LLC, where he managed and developed the global consulting and restructuring business. He also was a Managing Director at Seabury Aviation and Aerospace and held senior airline management roles at Trans World Airlines, Continental Airlines, Texas Air Corporation, New York Air and Pan American World Airways, among others, in the commercial, finance, strategy and communications disciplines.
Kuehne has nearly 40 years of human capital experience, with close to 30 years focused on the airline, travel and hospitality and gaming industries — particularly working closely with aviation executives and boards to deliver superior business results. Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Kuehne was a Managing Director at Seabury Consulting, part of Accenture. He has held senior positions at American Express, Wells Fargo and Northwest Airlines, where he was responsible for compensation, benefits, organizational design and leadership development, with significant interaction with the board of directors.
In addition to his focus on the aviation industry, Kuehne will co-lead the Human Capital offering at FTI Consulting with Matt Cowell, augmenting the firm’s capabilities in workforce planning and analytics, talent and organization, and compensation. Kuehne will help clients achieve and sustain organizational effectiveness through the management, alignment and development of high-performing senior management teams, including talent assessment, executive coaching, leadership development and succession planning.
“The availability of talent is critical to the aviation industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Neal Cohen, a Senior Managing Director and Co-Leader of the Aviation practice at FTI Consulting. “Experts such as Scott and Marty, who have first-hand industry experience, provide clients with a unique viewpoint to help them unlock value and ensure sustainable growth. We are excited for them to join the team.”