Asia Pacific
Andrew Howard
Site Leader & Operations Director, GE Aerospace Systems Australia
Responsible for leading the MRO facility and activities at GE Aerospace Systems Australia.
Biography
Andrew Howard is the Site Leader and Operations Director for GE Aerospace Systems Australia at Brisbane Airport.
In his role, Andrew oversees the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations, focusing on delivering Asia-Pacific regional solutions for both civil and military customers. With a strong background in aviation and operations management, Andrew is committed to driving operational excellence and fostering future talent in the aerospace industry.
Andrew brings over two decades of experience spanning the Royal Australian Air Force, the mining sector, and GE Aerospace. His career began with 11 years in the Royal Australian Air Force as an Avionics Technician, working on F-111 and C-130 H/J fleets. During this time, Andrew collaborated with the Air Force Improvement Cell, leading initiatives to enhance operational efficiency.
In 2013, Andrew transitioned to the mining industry, joining BHP Billiton as a Maintenance Supervisor responsible for heavy haul mining fleet operations. He brought this expertise to legacy GE in 2016, taking on the role of Brisbane Operations Manager, where he managed MRO activities for both Avionics and Dowty Propeller workshops.
Andrew’s responsibilities expanded in 2020 when he took charge of customer fulfillment, sourcing, and logistics teams before stepping into his current role in 2021, where he oversees business operations and additional workshops in Australia.
Andrew holds an MBA, earned in 2021, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He currently serves as an Executive Director for GE Aviation Systems Australia Pty Ltd and as a steering committee member of the Queensland Government’s Aerospace Gateway to Industry Schools Program.
Passionate about nurturing the next generation of aviation professionals, Andrew actively supports work experience programs and has championed the introduction of apprenticeships at GE Aerospace Systems Australia.
Iain Rodger
Managing Director & Executive Site Leader, GE Aerospace Engine Services Singapore
Responsible for leading the strategic direction and operations of GE Aerospace Engine Services Singapore.
Biography
Iain Rodger is the Managing Director and Executive Site Leader at GE Aerospace Engine Services Singapore, a part of GE Aerospace, the world’s leading provider of jet and turboprop engines and aircraft systems.
In his role, Iain oversees the leadership and strategic direction of GE Aerospace’s three Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities in Singapore, which employ 2,000 people and leverage cutting-edge engine repair and manufacturing technologies.
Iain joined GE Aerospace in 2019 as Managing Director of the MRO facility in Prestwick, Scotland, where he successfully guided the team through one of the aviation industry’s most challenging periods. A manufacturing engineer by training, Iain is also an experienced global supply chain leader.
Before joining GE Aerospace, Iain spent over 30 years at Rolls-Royce, holding various executive positions across the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and China. In his roles, he led the global integration of the Fans and Compressor supply chain, overseeing manufacturing, purchasing, planning and control, quality, and health and safety.
Iain holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in manufacturing systems with electronics from Glasgow Caledonian University and is an alumnus of the University of Cambridge’s Manufacturing Leaders Program (MLP).
He serves on the Board of GE Aerospace International Services Pte Ltd. and the Advisory Committee of the Temasek Polytechnic School of Engineering. He is also a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and actively promotes STEM education through outreach programs.
Outside of work, Iain has a lifelong passion for rugby union and poetry. He is married and has a son and daughter.
John Bennett
General Manager, South Asia Pacific, Commercial Engines and Services
Responsible for GE Aerospace’s Commercial Engines and Services sales across Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands, and Indonesia, providing strategic leadership and driving regional growth.
Biography
John Bennett is the General Manager, South Asia Pacific region for GE Aerospace. He is responsible for driving strategic leadership to the local Commercial Engines and Services sales team across Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands, and Indonesia, as well as enhancing the regional leadership presence across broader GE Aerospace activities in the region.
John has extensive global experience within GE Aerospace. Originally from Australia, John began his GE career in 1997 as a Field Service Engineer working with airline customers in Melbourne. He later transitioned to a sales role in Sydney, where he gained commercial and customer engagement expertise.
In 2004, John expanded his horizons by taking international roles, living and working in the USA, Singapore, and Germany. During these assignments, he held various customer and commercial roles, including his appointment in 2015 as the Asia Pacific Commercial Operations leader based in Singapore. In 2018, John was entrusted with establishing and leading the global Commercial Operations function for GE Additive, based in Munich, Germany.
In 2023, after nearly two decades abroad, John returned to Melbourne, Australia, to assume his current role.
Before joining GE Aerospace, John worked with the Australian Department of Defense. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Aeronautical) degree with first class honors from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
John currently resides in Melbourne with his family.
Katsuya Okano
General Manager, North Asia Pacific, Commercial Engines and Services
Responsible for driving GE Aerospace’s business growth in North Asia Pacific, managing key airline partnership in Japan and Korea.
Biography
Katsuya Okano is the President and Representative Director for GE Aerospace in Japan, and General Manager for the North Asia Pacific region for GE Aerospace. In these roles, he is responsible for overseeing business operations and growth, focusing on partnerships with key airline customers in Japan and Korea.
Katsuya has a wide range of business experience in sales, marketing, services, manufacturing operations, and supply chain management. He began his career at ITOCHU Corporation’s Aerospace department in sales and business development from 1992 to 2000.
He joined legacy GE in 2000 as the Sales Director for North Asia in the Aircraft Engine Division based in Tokyo, Japan. In 2004, he moved to GE Aerospace headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, as Director of Upgrade Programs for the CFM56 Engine, where he earned his Master Blackbelt certification for GE’s Six Sigma initiative.
In 2006, Katsuya returned to Tokyo as General Manager of the Aviation Japan Supply Chain Division. By 2008, he was named President and CEO of GE Engine Services Japan Corporation in Chiba, Japan.
In 2011, he transitioned to a new industry sector as the Operating Officer and General Manager for the Service Division of GE Healthcare Japan. In 2013, he became Director of the Board and General Manager of the Healthcare Systems Business Unit, where he led GE Healthcare Japan Corporation with full responsibility of the business and a team of 1,200 employees.
From 2016 to 2018, Katsuya took on leadership roles outside of GE, serving as Vice President and General Manager for C.R. Bard Inc. and as President and Representative Director for Medicon, Inc.
Katsuya returned to GE Aerospace in 2019 as General Manager for the North Asia Pacific region. In July 2023, he also took on the role of President and Representative Director for GE Japan and GE Aerospace in Japan, where he continues to lead the company’s transformation efforts and drive business growth.
Katsuya has received several company awards throughout his career and is a strong supporter of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English language from Sophia University, Japan, and completed an exchange program in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is fluent in both English and Japanese.
Matthew Lim
General Manager, Southeast Asia, Commercial Engines and Services
Responsible for leading GE Aerospace’s Commercial Engines and Services in Southeast Asia.
Biography
Matthew Lim is the General Manager for Southeast Asia Commercial Engines and Services for GE Aerospace. In this role, he focuses on connecting people and places safely while addressing the operational needs of employees and customers through GE Aerospace’s comprehensive product and service offerings.
Matthew has a strong background in Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services, with deep operational experience and a collaborative approach to driving customer success.
He began his GE career in 1999 as a Manufacturing Engineer at GE Aerospace Engine Services Singapore, where he was responsible for repairing turbine blades. He later transitioned into a Six Sigma Black Belt role, where he focused on process improvements for two years.
Matthew then led the setup of Lufthansa’s CF6 and CFM engine shop in Melbourne, Australia, spending seven years as the Gate 1 and 3 Business Leader. During this time, he provided operational and technical leadership for overhauling Qantas CF6-80C2/E1 and CFM56-3C/7B engines, with an emphasis on safety, quality, delivery, and cost (SQDC) and lean processes.
Matthew also spent three years with Lufthansa Technik as Corporate Sales Director based in Singapore, where he supported Indochina customers with MRO services. He returned to legacy GE in 2014, taking on roles as MRO Program Manager and Services Sales Director for the APAC region, continuing his commitment to serving customers.
Matthew holds a Master of Science degree from the National University of Singapore and a Bachelor’s degree with Honors in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Melbourne.
Nakul Gupta
Vice President, Asia Pacific Sales, Commercial Engines & Services
Responsible for growing GE Aerospace’s partnerships with airlines, lessors, and MROs in the Asia Pacific region.
Biography
Nakul Gupta is the Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific for GE Aerospace.
In his role, Nakul is responsible for growing GE Aerospace’s partnerships with airlines, lessors, and MROs in the Asia-Pacific region. He brings a tremendous breadth of commercial, sales and customer experience to the role and is a strong customer advocate with a solution-oriented mindset.
Nakul has over two decades of industry experience, having worked across several organizations in the global aerospace and automotive sectors.
He joined GE in 2010 as Sales Director for the South Asia region as well as Thailand and Myanmar. He then moved to Singapore in 2015 as the Regional Director for Customer & Product Support in Asia Pacific, where he was responsible for providing technical and commercial support to airlines in the region. In 2019, Nakul moved to GE Aerospace’s headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. He served as the Business Operations Leader for engines on several Wide Body aircraft across Boeing and Airbus. He then joined GE Aerospace’s Sourcing Organization for 2 years, before relocating back to Singapore in 2024 with his current role.
Nakul began his career at Ford India Limited as a Product Engineer from 2000 to 2003, before moving to Accenture Management Consulting in 2004, and Boeing in 2008 as the Director of Strategy & Business Development.
Nakul holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business (ISB) in India, a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, and a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering in India.
He is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) and a scholarship recipient from the global automotive/aerospace organization, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Nakul is based in Singapore with his wife and two children.
Sean Kim
General Manager, Asia Pacific, Customer & Product Support Operation, Commercial Engines and Services
Responsible for leading customer and product support in the region, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.
Biography
Sean Kim is the General Manager, Customer & Product Support Operation, Asia Pacific for GE Aerospace. In this role, he is responsible for leading customer support activities and ensuring seamless product service for GE Aerospace’s clients across the Asia Pacific region. Sean brings deep technical expertise and a solution-oriented mindset to his role, focusing on fostering strong customer relationships.
Sean has extensive experience across the aerospace and energy sectors. He joined GE Energy in 2008 as an Applications Engineer for GE Energy Global Sales, where he was responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities in Japan and Taiwan through technical consultations across the energy product portfolio.
In 2011, Sean transitioned to GE Oil & Gas as the Japan Country Leader, where he led the team in developing and executing country-specific strategies while ensuring swift responses to customer issues.
In 2014, Sean joined GE Aerospace as the General Manager for the North Asia Pacific region, where he led aviation sales in Japan and South Korea. Most recently, he served as the General Manager for the Southeast Asia and South Asia Pacific regions, managing aviation sales and customer accounts.
Prior to joining GE, he spent six years working in research and development for space propulsion systems and micro-satellites at a space venture company in Japan.
Sean holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honors in physics from the University of Chicago and both an M.S.E. and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan.
Suresh Shunmugam
Executive Director, Asia Pacific and Offloads Overhaul Leader
Responsible for overseeing Overhaul operations in Malaysia and GE Aerospace Evergreen Engine Services in Taiwan.
Biography
Suresh Kumar Shunmugam is the Executive Director, Asia Pacific and Offloads Overhaul Leader for GE Aerospace.
In his role, Suresh oversees Overhaul operations in Malaysia and GE Aerospace Evergreen Engine Services in Taiwan. He is also responsible for driving alignment and strategic growth across the Overhaul facilities in the Asia Pacific region while providing operational support to GE Aerospace’s Offload partners, which are vital to enhancing customer support capabilities.
Suresh began his career with GE in 1993 as a workshop engineer at the Subang, Malaysia Overhaul shop. Over the years, he held progressively senior roles, including positions in Customer Support, OTR Planning, and shop leadership, where he served as the business leader for PW4000 operations.
In 2007, Suresh joined the GE Aviation Wales team, first as the CFM business leader and later as the GE90 business leader. He then relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served as the Assembly, Test & Overhaul (ATO) Strategic Programs Leader, driving the ATO growth playbook and initiatives to optimize GE Aerospace’s ATO capabilities globally.
Before joining GE, Suresh worked with Malaysia Airlines in an operational role.
Suresh holds a degree in Business Management. Outside of work, he enjoys meditation, running, and traveling.
Yong-Hwan Seo
Site Leader, GE Aerospace On Wing Support Korea
Responsible for overseeing daily operations of On Wing Support Korea.
Biography
Yong-Hwan Seo is the Site Leader for GE Aerospace On Wing Support Korea, based at Gimpo Airport.
In this role, Yong-Hwan is responsible for managing the daily operations of On Wing Support Korea, which provides advanced service capabilities to meet the needs of GE Aerospace’s Asia Pacific customers.
Yong-Hwan joined GE in 2007 and has held various leadership roles across the organization. Before his current position, he served as the Leader for Korea EPC Accounts at GE Power & Water, where he focused on strengthening customer relationships, forming strategic partnerships, and driving business growth. Prior to that, he worked as a GE Account Manager and led the Korea Energy Team as Acting Country Executive in the first half of 2011.
Before joining GE, Yong-Hwan gained experience at Doosan Heavy Industries.
Yong-Hwan is based in Korea, where he lives with his wife and two children.
Youngje Kim
General Manager, Asia Pacific, Defense & Systems
Responsible for driving the growth of GE Aerospace’s defense engine fleet across multiple countries in the region.
Biography
Youngje Kim is the General Manager, Asia Pacific, Defense & Systems for GE Aerospace. In this role, he drives the growth of GE Aerospace’s defense engine fleet across key markets in Australia, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Southeast Asian countries.
With over 18 years of experience in the aviation industry, Youngje is a seasoned leader. Prior to his current role, he served as Regional Vice President for North Asia, overseeing Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. He has also held several leadership positions at GE Aerospace’s headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he led the development of new products and services and drove contract negotiations with key customers.
Youngje joined GE in 2007 as Sales Manager for Korean military engine programs. He later expanded his role to cover international engine programs, successfully leading campaigns valued at over $3 billion.
Prior to joining GE, Youngje served as a Maintenance Engineering Operations and Interpretation Officer for the Republic of Korea Air Force. He was also an active member of the Board of Governors of AMCHAM Korea and co-chairs the Aerospace and Defense Committee.
In 2021, he was recognized by the Korean Government as a Person of Merit for his contributions to the country’s industry and economy, receiving the MOTIE Minister’s commendation at the Trade Day organized by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MoTIE).
Youngje holds an MBA from Korea University and a Bachelor of Science in business, economy, and information Science from Syracuse University, where he graduated as a University Scholar.
