From RAF pilot to financial adviser: Interview with Jonny Shingles
Jonny Shingles has had a varied travel, aviation and business career, from RAF fighter pilot to Sales Director of Jet Republic – one of the most ambitious private jet start ups. He then became Managing Director of Egencia, the UK’s fastest growing Travel Management Company, before moving into his current role in financial services.
Having spent 10 years in the RAF myself, before moving into the private jet industry, Jonny and I have a few things in common. So it was a pleasure to catch up with Jonny to ask him about his career.
AT: Jonny we first met when you were an RAF display pilot. Was that the best job you had in the RAF?
JS: The display flying was both challenging and rewarding. It happened at a relatively early stage of my career so it was real honour to perform low-level aerobatics, all over Europe, in front of thousands of people.
Clearly the Harrier and Tornado were both very capable aircraft to fly but I also really enjoyed teaching pilots how to be instructors on the Hawk, the RAF’s advanced trainer. It involved flying with many of my friends, who were coming back to the training world after the front line. I also knew I was leaving the RAF so I made the most of it.
AT: You flew both the Tornado and the Harrier. How do you compare the two aircraft and if you had to go flying in one of them today, which would you take?
JS: They were very different, the Harrier was used for ground attack and the Tornado for Air Defence. Sadly both have now been phased out so I could not fly either.
From what I have heard, the Typhoon is amazing and can do both roles so I would pick that. However, taking off from a short strip of grass was amazing. The acceleration was incredible.
AT: Since leaving the RAF you have had an extensive and wide ranging business career. I am often asked about the benefits of a military background to business. What do you think the RAF taught you that applies to your roles since?
JS: I think it really teaches you to get the job done and how to work well with others under pressure. Many RAF pilots only consider joining the airlines.
Having built and hired teams in the commercial world, I am sure many RAF pilots have skills and attributes that would add value to many organisations.
AT: Jet Republic was an ambitious attempt to compete with fractional ownership market leader NetJets. The venture placed a world record $1.5 billion private jet order for a staggering 110 Learjet 60XRs.
The company, which was backed by Austria’s Euram Bank, went bust in 2009. Why didn’t the business succeed? Was it the wrong aircraft or just terrible timing to be launching a competitor to NetJets?
JS: I think it is difficult to blame the aircraft, as we never had the opportunity to present the service with our own Learjet 60s. It is fair to say there were a few questions around operating in and out of some airfields, but I still believe in what we were trying to create at Jet Republic.
With hindsight I do not think we could have picked a worse time to launch this type of business over the past 10 years.
AT: Following Jet Republic, you became the Managing Director of Egencia, leading the company to become the UK’s fastest growing Travel Management Company (TMC). What lessons from the private jet industry did you take into mainstream travel. How is the role of the TMC changing in today’s market?
JS: To be fair they represent completely different markets, there was certainly something ironic about going from private jets to Egencia, Expedia’s Corporate Travel Business – where ticket cost was the key factor. Nevertheless, we still had VIP clients and I brought some new ideas on how I believed they needed to be treated.
The role of the TMC is very much a cost control exercise. Some of the business models bring more transparency than others and technology is driving considerable change in the TMC space.
AT: You’ve now moved into financial services. Do you still travel much yourself now? What do you miss most about the travel industry?
JS: Yes I now run my own business as part of St. James’s Place Wealth Management, helping people to achieve their financial goals.
Just like flying, this involves a smooth take off and landing to ensure they achieve their goals. I am very fortunate that my wife is a BA 747 pilot so we do still travel and I still get excited about going to the airport. I’ll always have a soft spot for aircraft so I miss the day-to-day involvement with them. Many of my clients are closely connected, hire or own aircraft so I still feel connected.
Jonny Shingles is now Financial Adviser at St. James’s Place Wealth Management.
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