In my first career as a journalist, I became something like the Nabokov of business aviation – that is, the only Russian I’m aware of to be published in leading international publications and well-known to the English-speaking world. I interviewed top businessmen and celebrities, spoke at conferences, and even published JetBook, the first-of-a-kind app for mobiles and tablets.

With that experience, I went on to join what became a very successful aircraft sales company and learnt all aspects of the trade: intricacies of cross-border transactions, key things to look for in a business jet, the emotions that really guide buyers and sellers. I also got a pilot licence for the Robinson R44 and R66 – I strongly recommend learning to fly to anyone who gets the opportunity, much like buying an aircraft. There’s not a single disadvantage to doing it!

Now I’m out to start my own aircraft brokerage. In a world seeking to automate and outsource to AI, I think buying and selling business jets remains a very individual, human, and personal experience. And anyone who reaches this point in their life deserves special treatment. That’s why I approach every conversation with an open mind and take the time to really understand each situation and request, rather than using mass-market generalisations to push a client into some “standard solution”. You’re not standard if you’re buying or selling an airplane!

Ivan Veretennikov