ABL Aviation, LLC Winner

Although not apparent from its name, ABL Aviation has a wide-ranging collection of financial services. Best known as a lessor of aircraft (to the likes of Lufthansa, Delta and American Airlines), ABL also offers expertise in financial modeling, aircraft technical valuation and credit analysis, to name a few. Among the innovative ways it supports airplane acquisitions is its use of Japanese operating leases with call options.

ABL’s proprietary technology suite includes its Fly Forward system that helps the customer understand the aircraft’s maintenance value to support the deal. By using modelling, employing data sets and running automated analysis, the company provides an airline with a view of its planes’ valuation and life remaining, from the start to the end of a lease. This analysis tracks the changes in planes’ revenue over time, along with maintenance costs.

Finalists

• Principal Global Investors

• Actis LLP