Klaus-Peter Leinauer, Senior Vice President of Group Commercial for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at HAECO, holds one of the most intense and travel-heavy roles in the Group. In his day-to-day duties, Klaus leads his commercial team across three continents, spending much of his time meeting and cultivating relationships with HAECO’s diverse and growing EMEA client base. He views the region as “strategically important,” particularly for widebody aircraft, and is deeply engaged in helping HAECO expand its presence there.

Despite the dynamic role, Klaus stays active and is an avid cyclist. Earlier this year, he challenged himself and planned a ten-day cycling trip across the Alps to clear his mind and enjoy the scenery.  Just days before departure, he saw an opportunity to turn his hobby into something more meaningful. “I wanted to give the journey a purpose beyond myself,” Klaus says, recalling how he decided to turn his vacation into a fundraising campaign for a charity supporting children with serious illnesses — a cause close to his heart, as one of his own children had faced serious health issues at a young age.

What began as a fundraiser with his friends quickly turned into something much bigger. Klaus initially committed to cycling 1,000 kilometres and climbing 7,500 metres in elevation and asked his friends and family to donate to charity in return. However, he ended up surpassing all goals and not only covered 1,150 kilometres and 9,500 metres elevation across Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Italy but also garnered support from unexpected places: hotels he stayed at, cyclists he met on the road, and strangers that heard from this circle. Ultimately, he successfully raised €6,520, an amount he did not even dream of before the journey.

In addition to the incredible views from the 2,700-metre summit and the sight of the beautiful Italian coastline after crossing from Slovenia, Klaus was deeply moved by the overwhelming support he received along the way. “It was emotional”, he says. The encouragement from different people and the immense gratitude from the charity reminded him of the bigger purpose behind his journey, and it was this sense of connection and meaning that powered him through the toughest days of cycling. With days of starting before sunrise and cycling for over 10 hours uphill, this trip was physically, and, most importantly, mentally taxing, a testament to Klaus’ commitment and dedication to helping those in need. 

That same sense of purpose shapes how Klaus works at HAECO. With a background in aeronautical engineering and over two decades in commercial roles, Klaus brings a unique blend of technical insights and relationship-driven leadership. Leading a team across the EMEA region, Klaus embraces an agile leadership style and firmly believes in giving his team autonomy and trusting them to take ownership. Although the bulk of his work is client-facing, Klaus takes every opportunity to stay connected to the heart and technical side of the aviation industry. Every time he visits the headquarters in Hong Kong, he makes a point to go down to the hangars to simply walk among the aircraft and converse with the mechanics. “I like to feel it, smell it,” he says as he recalls falling in love with planes from the age of 14 and pursuing it ever since, becoming a licensed pilot for over 40 years and working in the industry. “It’s what I love”. Klaus’ journey, in and outside of work, has always been fuelled by the same force: passion. From the skies to the cycling trails, from customer engagement to moments in the hangars, he has stayed true to what first lit that spark in him as a teenager. 

“Do what you burn for and live without regrets,” says Klaus.