Bluelease

01 About

About BlueLease

AI GENERATED

BlueLease is an Irish aircraft leasing platform backed by Asterion Industrial Partners, a European infrastructure investment firm with approximately US$10bn of assets under management. Asterion was founded in 2018 and invests across telecoms, energy and utilities, and transportation infrastructure. BlueLease was established as part of Asterion’s expansion into aviation in 2024, with its first aircraft leasing transaction completed in November 2024 and further acquisitions completed since then.

The platform’s strategy is to create a diversified aircraft leasing portfolio, with exposure across aircraft type, model, airline operator and geography. BlueLease primarily focuses on new technology aircraft and airline counterparties that meet its credit and asset criteria.

BlueLease has invested in widebody new tech aircraft, specifically in Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, and continues to look for opportunities to grow its high-quality portfolio.

Headquarters

BlueLease is incorporated and based in Ireland, one of the leading global ecosystems for aircraft leasing. The platform benefits from Ireland’s established aviation network, including legal, tax, accounting, administrative and aircraft leasing advisers. BlueLease has a team of aviation industry veterans that provide strong vision and execution, playing an important role in overseeing the existing leases, new opportunities and driving the strategic direction of the company.

02 Approach

Our investment approach

BlueLease’s investment approach is focused on building a sustainable and stable aircraft leasing portfolio that balances risk and return through a prudent counterparty and asset strategy. The platform targets a diversified portfolio across widebody and narrowbody aircraft, with a focus on Airbus and Boeing aircraft and new technology models. Lessee selection focuses primarily on strong airline counterparties, with alternative operators considered case-by-case where additional risk mitigants are available.

< 8 yrs

Target average portfolio age

50%+

Minimum new-technology widebody allocation

Airbus & Boeing

Commercial passenger aircraft with focus on Airbus and Boeing models

03 Why BlueLease

A long-term partner in aircraft leasing

BlueLease has been established with the ambition to grow as a long-term participant in the aircraft leasing market. As the platform continues to scale, BlueLease is focused on expanding its relationships across the lessor, airline and aviation finance ecosystem.

The platform seeks to differentiate itself through its ability to provide speed and certainty of execution, supported by committed capital, clear investment parameters and an ambition to continue deploying capital in the aviation sector.

Speed & certainty of execution

Committed capital and clear investment parameters allow BlueLease to assess and execute opportunities quickly and reliably.

Well-capitalised counterparty

Backed by Asterion Industrial Partners, BlueLease is a reliable, well-capitalised partner for transactions across the aircraft leasing ecosystem.

Flexible investment approach

A flexible mandate spanning aircraft types, lessees and geographies, with an ambition to keep deploying capital in aviation.

04 Team

Team

BlueLease has a team of aviation industry veterans, supported by senior professionals from Asterion Industrial Partners.

Eithne Manning

Director

Eithne Manning is a qualified finance and tax professional with over 20 years of experience in aircraft leasing. Eithne held a variety of roles at SMBC Aviation Capital (SMBC), one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing companies. During her time at SMBC, she served as Interim Chief Financial Officer, Head of the Integration Management Office for the $6.7bn acquisition of Goshawk Aviation, Head of Funding, Finance and Tax and Senior Vice President, Aircraft Trading. Prior to joining SMBC Aviation Capital, Eithne held a variety of roles in structured finance and corporate banking. Eithne holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) and a Masters in Accounting (Hons), both from University College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and the Irish Tax Institute. Eithne was awarded a Distinction in the Diploma in Corporate Governance at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School (2024). Eithne was appointed as Director of the Company in October 2024.

John Lenfestey

Director

John Lenfestey has more than 12 years’ experience in the aviation industry and has held senior finance positions at Elix Aviation Capital, Canyon CTS, Goshawk and Zephyrus Aviation Capital. His experience includes managing complex ABS and warehouse transactions, overseeing statutory and investor reporting, and supporting compliance with regulatory obligations across multiple jurisdictions. John Lenfestey is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws and a Higher Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Galway.

William Chang Yu

Director · Asterion

William Chang Yu is a Director at Asterion Industrial Partners and has 12 years’ experience across investment banking and investing, including eight years focused on investments in power and energy. Prior to joining Asterion Industrial Partners, he was an investment associate at First Reserve in London. He began his career as an analyst in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs, focused on Latin American M&A coverage in New York. William Chang Yu holds an MBA from London Business School and a Bachelor in Economics from Universidad de San Andrés in Buenos Aires.

Francisco Clemente

Operating Partner · Asterion

Francisco Clemente is an Operating Partner at Asterion Industrial Partners, having joined in 2021 with more than three decades of industrial experience. He previously held senior management and board positions at Cintra – Ferrovial and Capital Energy. During his time at Cintra, he served as CFO for close to 20 years, overseeing the financing of more than 115 projects internationally, representing over €59bn, including transactions such as the privatisation of 407 ETR, the acquisition of airport operator BAA and the IPO of Cintra in 2004. Francisco Clemente holds an MBA from IE Business School and a Degree in Economics from Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

05 Contact

Get in touch

For further information about BlueLease, please get in touch with the team.

Office

BlueLease / Alas Aviation Capital
14 Ely Place, Dublin 2, D02 CK74, Ireland

Enquiries

info@bluelease.ie