Download press release”“Craig understands our vision. He will spearhead the transformation as we build inventory to broaden our parts business with a range of airline focused support services”
Gavin SimmondsCEO, APOC Aviation
The Netherlands, 12th May 2025, APOC has brought in experienced senior executive, Craig Skilton, to lead its rapidly developing components division. His remit will encompass increasing market share for APOC’s growing portfolio.
“The new role of VP Components is of strategic importance as we broaden APOC’s global footprint and deploy secured capital” explains Gavin Simmonds, CEO. “Craig is a highly respected member of the aviation community with a reputation for team motivation and commercial success, coupled with extensive technology capabilities.”
The growth of APOC since its inception some ten years ago has been impressive and attracted favourable attention from both industry and investors alike, so Skilton anticipates challenging but exciting times ahead. “APOC’s dynamic and entrepreneurial approach towards doing business is refreshing” he says. “APOC has some incredible foundations which I’m excited to build upon: a recognisable and respected brand, great people, a significant financing facility – and an exponentially expanding inventory of the right products. My immediate objective is to source new assets whilst mentoring, shaping, and growing a high-performing sales team who, when armed with the right inventory, can be market leading. Key hires that have excellent industry knowledge are already in progress.
“Our mission within the airframe division is to become the ‘intuitive partner of choice’ for the A320 & B737 family of airframes and components. We’re aiming to do this by focusing on the fundamentals and being the best at what we do.”
Although his role is global, Skilton will primarily concentrate on Europe & Asia Pacific as APOC’s two key markets and within that, strengthening the organisation’s foothold in the UK. He will also work in tandem with APOC’s emergent repairs business as the Company evolves from quick-turn sales of repairable/serviceable stock to intrinsically more valuable components ready to exchange and lease.
With recent investments in aircraft spares inventory through the purchase of airframes and packages of parts, as well as larger assets such as engines and landing gear, APOC is becoming a major player in the marketplace. Simmonds adds, “I’m shaping the business to meet the needs of our airline customers: quality assets, readily available for exchange, lease or purchase. We anticipate that with APOC’s innovative business model and secure financial status we will be able to not only take advantage of investment opportunities in engines, landing gear and airframe assets, but also to wisely shape our support programmes as airlines evolve and explore new ways to operate. Craig’s insights will be invaluable as we fast-track our strategies. We are delighted that he has joined to further enhance the expanding team.”
Skilton has extensive experience in the aviation industry. Prior to joining APOC, he enjoyed a decade of leadership experience at AJW Group, playing a key role in driving strategic growth as Head of Business Development, before switching focus to lead the Company’s digital initiatives, one of those being AJW’s eCommerce Store – Eventory.
Since AJW, he founded Digital Flight, a fast-growing technology hub and helped SkySelect Inc. – a Silicon Valley-based AI-driven procurement platform for aircraft spares – before transitioning back into the parts trading environment through his current role at APOC.
APOC, the intuitive trading and leasing specialist focused on trading, stocking and leasing major engine assets and LRUs, is headquartered in The Netherlands. It has offices/representation throughout Europe (including a dedicated landing gear hub in Vilnius, Lithuania), and Singapore. With a focus on Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and ATR resources, APOC is renowned for its aviation industry expertise which underpins the energy and commitment of its team. APOC’s majority shareholder is private equity investor Egeria and the Netherlands-based fund has worked closely with the Company since 2020. It continues to drive APOC’s transformative global footprint with a focus on continued vertical integration.
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