The financial component of the aviation industry is rarely discussed, but is nonetheless critically important. The purchase and sale of aircraft underpins every aspect of aviation, from commercial to corporate and everything in-between. As consumer needs and freight requirements change and evolve over time, the solutions must do the same. This makes the sourcing and sale of aircraft a dynamic, ever-changing market. 

Stepping into this unique market and finding success requires experience and keen leadership, and that’s what Aircraft Finance Germany (AFG) CEO Christian Nuehlen provides. With over two decades of experience in the commercial aviation industry, Nuehlen is able to blend industry knowledge with a strong set of core professional values to consistently facilitate successful transactions around the world. 

“The aviation industry is extremely dynamic, which is a curse and a blessing all at the same time,” Nuehlen says. “To be successful in this environment you need to be just as agile and forward-thinking and react to new challenges and opportunities without delay.” 

A Background Of Business

By the time Christian Nuehlen founded Aircraft Finance Germany in 2017, he was already well-prepared for the unique challenges of the commercial aviation industry. With both a law degree from the University of Münster and an MBA from Providence College under his belt, Nuehlen was able to quickly jump into his professional career of aviation consulting with Aero Lloyd German Airlines as a fleet manager. He’d later jump at the opportunity to join established commercial aviation consulting firm Morten Beyer & Agnew in Washington, DC, where he’d get his first real taste of his career to come.

“I have always been fascinated by commercial aircraft transactions and was fortunate enough to gain valuable insights into this field both as a consultant and as a fleet manager,” Nuehlen explains. “This background provided a solid understanding of how transactions work and their potential pitfalls.”

It was these early experiences that would lead Nuehlen toward entrepreneurship, as he saw new opportunities to apply his knowledge and leadership skills. Taking what he learned from his prior roles, including membership on the management board and general counsel of XL Airways Germany, he established his own consulting firm in Blueberry Xpress in 2007. Through this new firm, he worked with aircraft lessors, airlines, banks, and other consulting firms to solve problems relating to aircraft leasing, financing, and transactions. 

“Both fields—the more academic role as a consultant and the hands-on operational role at the airlines—prepared me well for starting Aircraft Finance Germany in 2017,” says Nuehlen.

Aircraft Finance Germany Takes Off

Providing consulting services for commercial aviation was only the first step—it was only a matter of time before Christian Nuehlen would want to apply his expertise to the kinds of active aircraft trading he’d guided other clients through. He founded Aircraft Finance Germany in 2017 in Frankfurt, Germany to serve the needs of airlines, financial institutions, manufacturers, and international leasing companies. The company leverages the decades of experience gathered by Nuehlen and his team to develop bespoke solutions to its clients, with a portfolio of services including commercial, freighter, and business aircraft solutions. 

“To be successful in this environment you need to be just as agile and forward-thinking and react to new challenges and opportunities without delay,” explains CEO Nuehlen. “At AFG, we have always tried to adapt to the market and be as flexible as possible.”

With office locations in Dublin, Frankfurt, and Berlin, and operations spanning the globe, AFG has become a trusted partner for companies including, but not limited to, Boeing, Airbus, Cessna, and Gulfstream. In 2021, the company won the Airline Economics Award for Freighter Deal of the Year for a deal closed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nuehlen is particularly proud of both that deal and the award, as the four freighter aircraft involved went on to transport critical medical equipment, masks, and protective gear around the world. The company was also named the Top Aircraft Leasing and Financing Company in 2023 by Aerospace & Defense Review, further highlighting the company’s dedication to excellence. 

“At AFG we always strive for the perfect balance between a successful deal for us as a company and for our customer,” Christian Nuehlen says. “The goal is always to form long-lasting relationships with our customers leading to repeat business.”

Professional Values and Leadership

The successes of both Blueberry Xpress and Aircraft Finance Germany are at least partially due to Christian Nuehlen’s strong core values as a professional. Drawing inspiration from Ray Dalio’s Principles and guided by his own experiences, Nuehlen conducts himself in accordance with the values of honesty, creativity, and transparency in both his personal and professional life. Combined with a love of humor and a desire for fairness, Nuehlen’s values directly led to the empathetic, creative, and hardworking environment at AFG. His values also directly impact his leadership style and can be attributed to Nuehlen’s firm belief in the value of open communication and dialogue. 

“It sounds so easy, but it is extremely difficult to really listen to people, hear their thoughts, ideas, concerns and worries,” he says. “I often find that the most open discussions yield the most rewarding and promising results for AFG as a business. We try to create and foster an environment where every opinion is heard and where information can flow freely and with full transparency.”

It’s precisely that kind of environment that is necessary to find consistent success in the commercial aviation industry. From international conflicts and pandemics to fluctuating oil prices and natural disasters, the list of external factors that can ravage the industry is long. Learning to react to these factors, understand them, and close deals anyway is crucial for success—and each of those steps is easier in an environment with clear communication and a foundation of empathy. 

 “Every transaction differs from the previous one, and the approach towards a successful closing needs to be adapted each time as each individual deal will inevitably present its own unique challenges and hurdles,” Nuehlen explains. “To not give up, to be creative and optimistic, and to find solutions is what it takes in these cases.”