AFG has announced the appointment of Mr Shiekuma Gemade as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), marking a pivotal addition to its leadership team.
Gemade brings with him more than 20 years of expertise across aviation, MRO, and airline management. Over the course of his career, he has overseen aircraft acquisitions, fleet planning, and leasing transactions worth in excess of US$12 billion, working with some of the sector’s most progressive organisations. His experience spans both commercial and cargo operations, underlining his versatility and breadth of knowledge.
Prior to joining AFG, Gemade was head of fleet at Riyadh Air. In this capacity, he directed aircraft acquisitions, spearheaded fleet planning initiatives, and played a central role in developing one of the most ambitious new aircraft programmes in the industry. His tenure at Riyadh Air demonstrated his ability to deliver large-scale, complex projects in competitive global markets.
Earlier, he served in senior positions at Atlas Air Worldwide and Titan Aviation Leasing. There, he managed a sizeable widebody freighter lease portfolio, established a lease management platform, and navigated cross-border transactions spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This experience honed his skill in managing multi-jurisdictional challenges and fostering international partnerships.
Gemade’s career began at Delta Air Lines, where he progressed from an engineering role within Delta Technical Operations to operations leadership, ultimately optimising performance for a 450-aircraft DC fleet. His solid grounding in engineering continues to underpin his strategic approach to fleet and operations management.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Science in Aviation Management, both from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. In addition, he is a licensed FAA private pilot, underscoring his personal passion for aviation.
