Our Team
Straightline Aviation has assembled a world-class team of experts. From aviation and logistics to finance and investment, we are positioned to become the global leader in the operation and management of advanced hybrid airships.
Founder and Chairman - Mike Kendrick
Mike’s roots are in marketing and PR which is where he discovered the power of aerial advertising. This led him to form Lighter Than Air Ltd. where he produced numerous TV programs on a local, national and international level to commercialise the potential of hot air balloons and airships.
In 1988, in partnership with Sir Richard Branson, Mike formed the Virgin Airship and Balloon Company. VABC would quickly grow to become the world’s largest aerial advertising agency, operating over 70 aircraft in 30 countries, for blue-chip clients like Goodyear, Budweiser, Met Life and Sanyo.
As Project Director for all of Sir Richard’s high-profile world record attempts, Mike was responsible for flight operations, safety, technical assessment and media management. He was also a director and founding shareholder of several other Virgin companies including Virgin Projects, Vintage Airlines, and Virgin Blockbuster.
In 1999, Mike founded The Mineseeker Foundation to raise awareness for landmine victims and to seek technological solutions for clearing mines. He personally recruited eminent patrons including Nelson Mandela, Queen Noor of Jordan, Sir Richard Branson, and Lord Attenborough.
Mike has held a commercial pilot’s license and several aviation world records.
Mike has recently been inducted as a Living Legend of Aviation and received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Technology from the University of Wolverhampton, in recognition of his pioneering work in the lighter-than-air aviation industry.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer - Mark Dorey
Mark is a seasoned commercial leader with a global track record across the aviation, marketing and service industries. A graduate of the London School of Economics and a Chartered Accountant by training (Coopers & Lybrand, now PwC), Mark has held senior roles with international giants such as PepsiCo and Virgin.
During nearly a decade at Virgin, Mark worked alongside Mike Kendrick in the aerial advertising and marketing division, serving as COO of The Lightship Group. He managed the world’s largest fleet of commercial airships and led strategic expansion into markets across Brazil, Singapore, South Africa, Asia and the United States. He was instrumental in delivering multi-million dollar contracts with global brands such as Goodyear and Sanyo and oversaw business planning, M&A activity and regulatory compliance.
Mark also served as a director of the Virgin Airship and Balloon Company and held the Civil Aviation Authority designation of Responsible Officer for UK operations. He also played a key role in Sir Richard Branson’s round-the-world balloon flights.
Following his time at Virgin, Mark led several companies in the media, marketing and events sectors before rejoining Mike as a director of The Mineseeker Foundation. Together, they co-founded Straightline Aviation to pioneer a new era of sustainable airship operations.
Asked about his vision for the company, Mark says: “I’ve spent my career building businesses across sectors and continents, but Straightline Aviation is different: it’s a chance to reshape the future of flight. We’re creating a new kind of aviation enterprise: one that unlocks the world for remote communities, redefines what’s possible for sustainable logistics and proves that doing good and doing good business can go hand in hand.”
As part of the company’s mission to drive sustainable aviation, Mark advises the United Nations on the use of airship technologies to enhance humanitarian access and logistics in some of the world’s most remote and underserved regions.
Director of Operations - James Dexter
Jim Dexter is an extremely experienced lighter-than-air commercial operations executive having held senior positions with all the major airship operating companies over an aviation career spanning 30 years.
A highly qualified pilot, he has been licensed by the FAA, CAA and LBA, and has a total of over 12,000 hours, including 500 as test pilot on several airship development programs.
Jim was recruited by Virgin as Director of Operations for Virgin Lightships and subsequently The Lightship Group, and was instrumental in obtaining a FAA Part 135 Operating Certificate, the first and only ever issued to an airship operator in the United States. During this time, he also obtained operating certificates in the UK, Italy, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Jim has written several operations manuals for airship operations and was a member of the FAA Rule Making Committee from 2000-03. He has also set up training programs and audit and inspection programs for airship operations ensuring the highest levels of operational safety.
From 2011 Jim worked as Engineering Test Pilot for Northrop Grumman and was Co-pilot on the LEMV hybrid aircraft flight for the US Army.
“The beauty of flying an airship is that it’s never just about getting from A to B. It’s about precision, patience and the privilege of flying something truly unique. Every flight teaches you something new – even after 12,000 hours.” – Jim Dexter
Director of Logistics and Operational Support - Ron Hyde
With over 35 years of experience managing logistics across Alaska and the Pacific Rim, Ron brings deep expertise – and a personal connection – to the challenges of operating in remote environments.
Growing up in remote Alaska, Ron experienced firsthand the difficulties that isolated communities face when it comes to access, infrastructure and supply chains. That understanding shaped his career. In 2002, he founded PRL Logistics, Inc., a logistics project management company dedicated to reaching ‘the last tactical mile’ and supporting some of the most complex and remote projects in the world.
From arctic oil fields and island mining operations to U.S. defence installations, Ron has led logistics planning and execution at over 800 sites in extreme conditions. His work spans project feasibility studies, remote expedition support, emergency response support, site workforce transport and sustainment, mobile camp operations, marine and air logistics, risk management and much more, earning him numerous awards for safety, innovation and leadership including: Joseph Jacobs Master Builder Award - Jacobs Engineering, U.S. Vice President Al Gore Hammer Award – Aleutians Project/TERC the United States Corps of Engineers (USCOE) Commanders Award, Alaska Oil & Gas Association’s Contractor of the Year for Safety Performance, Outstanding Individual in Oil & Gas, and Outstanding Small Business of the Year.
”Having direct experience of living where logistics can make or break a project – or a
community – I know how much remote regions rely on limited seasonal access and
fragile, unreliable infrastructure,’ Ron says. ‘The Z1 changes that: it’s a transformative tool for connecting places that have always been hard to reach, without needing to build costly infrastructure. In places like Alaska and northern Canada, where as much as 75% of a project’s budget can be consumed by logistics, the Z1 has the potential to completely redefine how we do business.”
VP Corporate Development and Business Planning - Laurence Kalinsky
Having started his career as a financial analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Laurence is a senior operating executive with over 18 years of domestic and international development and operations experience, he has advised both start-up and public companies on revenue and profit maximization strategies, with deep experience across multiple disciplines.
Prior to joining Straightline he was founder of several successful start-ups including Unicourt Inc., was a partner in technology incubator Radial Function, LLC and was also the MD & VP of Business Development and Strategy for WPT Enterprises, Inc., a NASDAQ US publicly traded entity.
In addition to his role with Straightline Laurence serves as a guest Instructor for the Department of Defence Transition Assistance Boots To Business Program, for the Institute of Veteran Military Families (IVMF) lecturing around the world on best practices in business and entrepreneurship. He is Head of Private Sector Initiatives & Executive Director - Family Offices For Sustainable Development at PVBLIC Foundation
He has also served as a visiting professor for the Academy of Business Leadership, a non-profit organization training high potential, low opportunity inner city students in Los Angeles, for which he received California State Commendations for outstanding community service.
Laurence currently works out of the Los Angeles office and his role is to support Executive Management with operations and business planning.
Laurence received his MBA Cum Laude from The University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.
Senior Advisor, Strategy and Growth - Frédéric Goig
Fred brings a global perspective and a proven track record of strategic growth to his role as Senior Advisor, Strategy and Growth at Straightline Aviation. With over two decades of international leadership in critical aviation and high-growth industries, he is helping guide the company’s global expansion as it prepares to deploy the transformative Z1 hybrid airship.
His career has spanned continents and sectors, with aviation as a constant focus. As Vice President of Global Growth Aviation at Babcock International Group, Fred led aviation sector development in China, Europe, the Middle East and Canada.
Fred’s aviation journey began at Avincis / Inaer Helicopters, one of the world’s leading providers of helicopter emergency services, where he was Country CEO. After its acquisition by Babcock, he became CEO of Babcock France and developed their military support strategy by winning the first contract to assist the French Air Force’s jet pilot training.
A graduate of the Institut Européen des Affaires in Paris, Fred began his career in Mexico with the Chamber of Industry and later held high executive roles across France, Spain, Russia, Central Europe and North America in the industry. In addition to his role at Straightline Aviation, he also advises private equity firms and operators on their aviation and defence strategies.
Fred says, “I’ve spent my career expanding companies across borders, industries and expectations, particularly on complex projects. What excites me about Straightline Aviation, a project I have been part of for nearly ten years, is that we’re not just scaling a company – we’re scaling a technology that can transform access to remote regions, unlocking social and economic opportunity while protecting the environment.”
Senior Advisor, Finance and Investment - Peter Hyde
Peter brings a wealth of experience and insight to Straightline Aviation, shaped by a long and distinguished career at the highest levels of the financial services sector. Over the years, he has held senior leadership positions across investment banking, including Head of Research at Kleinwort Benson and Head of Corporate Broking at Credit Suisse. During this time, he earned recognition as a top-rated equity analyst in the utilities, transport, logistics and aviation sectors and played a pivotal role in numerous successful equity raises.
He went on to serve on the Board of Liberum Capital, a boutique investment bank, and later became a Partner at ATLAS Infrastructure, an equity fund management firm with a focus on infrastructure investments. His expertise in equity positioning, equity valuation and strategic finance continues to inform his work today, including his role as a non-executive director of Iguana Investments. He brings aviation experience as a former non-exec director of Fastjet plc.
Peter holds an MA in Economics from Cambridge University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Reflecting on his role with Straightline Aviation, Peter says, “What excites me about Straightline is the rare opportunity to help shape a company that isn’t just building a business – it’s redefining the future of global logistics and transportation.”
CEO of MENA Region - Abdulrahman Alissa
Abdulrahman Alissa is the founder and managing director of Alpha United Company. In addition to his executive role at Alpha United Co., he serves on the board of a number of companies including SAFCORP Holdings, Shuwaikh National and Abu Halifa Real Estate and acts as an investment advisor to many of his family-owned businesses, with significant business interests across the MENA region.
Prior to this role Abdulrahman was a vice president at Wafra Investment Advisory Group in their Kuwait office, during which time he directed their client relations in the MENA region.
Abdulrahman started his career with Wafra’s sponsored investment and management training program in New York before taking on a role with their real estate division. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from San Diego State University.
Managing Director Asia Pacific - Francis Chiew
Francis is an experienced senior executive with more than 23 years of international experience in business development and operations management for both medium sized businesses and multi-national corporations in the Asia Pacific Region. With a proven track record successfully leading the launch of new technologies and developing operational, sales and marketing strategies resulting in positive profitable growth across the region.
Francis was at the forefront of airship development in the Asia-Pacific region, spearheading the launch of airship operations in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Australia, Malaysia and Japan.
He led, negotiated and launched China’s first aviation advertising company for aerial advertising programs and was responsible for negotiating significant contracts with blue-chip customers and multinational clients such as ANZ Bank, Volkswagen, Metlife, Vodafone, Starhub, and Djarum.
Prior to joining Virgin, Francis held senior positions as General Manager with Thakral Corporation in China and subsequently as a regional Director of the Volkswagen Group.
He has an MBA from Rutgers Business School and speaks English, Malay, Cantonese, Mandarin and Hokkien.
Director of Flight Planning - Kevin Stass
Kevin brings over four decades of world-class flight planning experience to Straightline Aviation. He began his career in 1976 at Dan-Air, rising to lead the Route Planning Department, and later spent more than 20 years heading the Flight Technical Services team at Virgin Atlantic.
Kevin’s expertise soon led him beyond traditional airline operations. He was invited by Sir Richard Branson to help plan his ambitious round-the-world balloon attempts, joining the elite operational team led by our Founder and Chairman, Mike Kendrick. This marked the start of a series of ground-breaking missions, including Steve Fossett’s 2002 successful solo circumnavigation of the globe by balloon.
Kevin went on to serve as Mission Control Director for Fossett’s two historic GlobalFlyer flights: one the first solo circumnavigation, the other the longest solo piloted flight in history. He has also supported transatlantic balloon flights with Sir David Hempleman-Adams.
“I’ve spent much of my career working on pioneering flights,” Kevin says. “Straightline Aviation’s mission is no different – it’s about opening new frontiers in aviation and doing things that have never been done before.”
His contributions have been recognised with the Royal Aero Club Bronze Medal and the Royal Institute of Navigation Certificate of Achievement.
Co-Founder and President Straightline USA - David M. Tait OBE
David worked for the Thomson/Britannia group in Spain, Cyprus and Greece before moving to Toronto in 1975 to join charter airline WardAir.
He was recruited by Sir Freddie Laker as General Manager for Laker Airways Canada, then in 1979 Tait moved to Miami as VP, Marketing for the carrier’s revolutionary transatlantic ‘SkyTrain’ service.
Following Laker’s demise in 1982, Tait joined a Miami-based aviation consulting firm and, having been referred by Sir Freddie, it was there that he wrote the business plan for what would become Virgin Atlantic Airways.
In 1984, Tait moved to New York City to become Virgin Atlantic’s first US employee and as Executive Director and Executive Vice President, reporting to chairman Sir Richard Branson, Tait led every aspect of the airline’s North American operation, building it from scratch to a multi-billion-dollar company.
In 2001 at Buckingham Palace, David’s achievements were recognised when he was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of The British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to British aviation in the United States”.
Tait left Virgin in 2002 to serve as CEO for Avocet Aircraft and Spitfire Aviation Partners before returning to Canada as SVP Customer Service, for Air Canada.
In 2008 Tait returned to the US to form Consultait, a consulting firm focused on brand building, marketing and customer service for a variety of international clients. David joined the board of Straightline Aviation as a founder Director.
Director Round the World - Chuck Foster
Chuck has been a pioneer of LTA aviation for over 30 years and has owned and operated several passenger carrying services from Napa Valley in California. He sold the business in 2000. His company was declared ‘The ultimate California experience’ by the New York Times.
He was also one of the early influencers in the development of thermal airships and worked with such major brands as Budweiser, Virgin and Westinghouse. He is a commercially rated LTA pilot with more than 10,000 hours.
Chuck was Project Director of a Japanese attempt to cross the Pacific Ocean when Mike Kendrick recruited him for two of the most technically challenging and high profile aviation record attempts: Sir Richard Branson’s flight across the Pacific and a circumnavigation of the earth by balloon.
Kendrick publicly stated that Chuck Foster was a major influence in the Virgin/Branson world record flight successes. Chuck built the projects’ command centres and was Strategic Planning Director and Launch Master for Sir Richard’s Global Flight Challenge. His appreciation of technical, logistics, safety and planning requirements produces intuitive and outside of the box thinking, offering a refreshing approach to aviation and solutions synonymous with leading edge and groundbreaking aircraft and special projects. He got involved with Straightline Aviation at its formation.
Foster has been awarded and successfully monetized several patents, chiefly in the financial transactions field and is also an accomplished database developer and equally expert at business logistics and sequencing.
When it comes to aviation, Foster takes the position; “We never guess.”
Non-Executive Director - Brian Kessler
Brian Kessler is a prolific inventor who applied for his first patent while in high school and has since designed and developed more than 2,600 products.
He is also a successful venture investor and serial entrepreneur.
As Founder and President of Maui Toys, from 1988 to 2014 Brian sold and distributed more than 210 million units with a value of over $1.5 billion. During this time he created, developed and manufactured patented consumer goods, overseeing and managing 8 manufacturing facilities. He was also responsible for a global supply chain serving over 60,000 retail outlets in 60 countries, managing a global sourcing and distribution model moving goods and freight worldwide.
Subsequently, Brian established SBL Venture Capital taking on the role as Chief Executive Officer and Senior Investment Partner, making investments focused on the transportation, consumer products as well as the health and well-being markets.
Since 2012 Brian Kessler has been active in the hybrid airships industry. Initially becoming one of the original key investors in Hybrid Air Vehicles, the owners of the first full scale flying hybrid airship, this led him to Straightline Aviation where he helped guide the company through its early development.
Senior Advisor, Structured and Asset Finance - Olivier Piot
Olivier graduated from Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and also holds a postgraduate degree in business and tax law from University of Paris. He was admitted to the Bar in Paris, starting his professional career with a major international law firm, specialising in asset finance transactions.
Olivier has subsequently held several senior management positions within a leading French banking institution, including as Senior Vice President and Head of Structured Asset Finance at Ingepar (Caisses D’Epargne Group), leading a team of professionals in charge of sourcing, structuring, and managing complex asset finance transactions in various sectors such as aviation, shipping, rail, energy, and real estate.
Olivier founded the Nova Capital Group in 2002, a privately-owned investment and advisory group of companies dedicated to aviation finance. Acting as group CEO, Olivier turned the Nova Capital Helicopters division into a leading globally recognized helicopter lessor with an 18 year track-record within the industry. The current fleet has more than 85 helicopters operating in 10 different countries providing critical helicopter services such as emergency medical services, military pilot training, firefighting, power line survey and construction, wind farm operations, search and rescue, etc.
The company had a total fleet value of circa $350m as at the end of 2019.
Olivier is also a founding partner of Apache Aviation Training & Services, a French based advance pilot training academy operating a fleet of 6 aircraft (Epsilon TB30).
He has also lectured at University of Paris Dauphine for several years, and is a regular contributor at globally recognized asset finance and leasing events.