| Gediminas Žiemelis | |
| Birth Date: | 4 April 1977 |
| Birth Place: | Vilnius |
| Occupation: | Businessman, business consultant |
| Known For: | The richest Lithuanian |
| Education: | Mykolas Romeris University Vilnius Gediminas Technical University |
Gediminas Žiemelis (born April 4, 1977) is the richest[1] Lithuanian businessman, selected twice among the top 40 most talented young industry leaders by Aviation Week & Space Technology. He is currently the chairman of the board at Avia Solutions Group and former chairman of the board, founder and UBO[2] at Vertas Management AB (former ZIA Valda).[3] In November 2023, Gediminas Žiemelis was listed as the richest Lithuanian by TOP Magazine, with estimated assets worth 2.45 billion euros.[4]
Gediminas Žiemelis was born into poverty in Soviet-occupied Lithuania in 1977. Before his mother's birth, his maternal grandmother was deported from Lithuania to Siberia, where his mother was born. In 1956, after Stalin died, the family returned to Lithuania while his mother was still a child. At the age of 19, in 1996, Žiemelis started his first company, a credit management and verification system, which he sold in 2004. Since then, he launched over a dozen businesses in different industries, managed five IPOs and raised over $1 billion.[5] Žiemelis is a well-known aviation expert. He was recognized twice as one of the most talented young leaders in the global aerospace industry under age 40.[6] He was acknowledged by the European Business Awards and received the national champion award in the entrepreneurship category for his visionary inspiration and innovative approach to business development while leading Avia Solutions Group.[7] In 2023, Žiemelis ranked as one of Lithuania's most influential businessmen by Delfi.lt.[8] He is regular columnist for AeroTime since 2019, where he writes about the aviation industry's trends.[9]
Žiemelis is engaged in aviation, real estate management, duty-free retail, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, aircraft finance, information technology, and other business ventures. During the period of 2010–2013 Gediminas Žiemelis, as a chairman of the board at all companies, conducted IPO of three enterprises – Avia Solutions Group,[10] AviaAM Leasing[11] and Agrowill Group (currently AUGA Group).[12] Although the initial public offering of Avia Solutions Group's shares was planned in 2010, the offering was postponed due to unsatisfying share prices.[13] Avia Solutions Group finally went public a year later.[14] The company was elected one of the best debutants of the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2011, while in 2013 it was awarded with Polish Business Award in category "Increase of share price of Lithuanian company on the Warsaw Stock Exchange"[15] IPO of AviaAM Leasing – an aircraft leasing, acquisition and sales company was conducted in 2013. However, according to some experts, the offering wasn't very successful, as the company managed to attract twice less money than planned.[16]
During the period of 2014–2016, as the chairman of the board, Gediminas Žiemelis led Avia Solutions Group in completing several major projects – opening of the aviation professional training base in Singapore together with its subsidiary BAA Training,[17] construction of the modern 8500 sq m aircraft maintenance hangar in Kaunas,[18] establishment of tour operator KIDY Tour[19] and UAV service provider Laserpas.[20] In 2015, cooperating with BAA Training and Kazimieras Simonavicius University, Avia Solutions Group engaged in a project of establishment and development of AeroTraining cluster near Vilnius International Airport. The cluster will include aviation specialists training facility as well as hotel[21] located in the near proximity of the airport for pilots and other industry professionals.[22] In 2016, Avia Solutions Group subsidiary FL Technics opened its third MRO hangar in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, Indonesia,[23] while Helisota[24] launched maintenance works on Airbus Helicopters including HC120, HC135, HC145 (ЕС120, ЕС135, ЕС145) and BGS has become a strategic partner of The International Air Transport Association (IATA).[25] Furthermore, In 2016, under the leadership of Gediminas Žiemelis, the Group and its subsidiaries continued growing as AviationCV.com has become the most visited aviation job search platform in the world,[26] KlasJet[27] added 3rd aircraft – Hawker 800XP to its fleet, Kidy Tour its operations to Estonia.[28] In 2017, Gediminas Žiemelis led BGS to an expansion to a new market – Czech Republic,[29] while KlasJet added first narrow-body business jet[30] to its fleet – Boeing 737, as well as Storm Aviation introduced Base Maintenance services at Diamond Hangar at London Stansted airport. Avia Solutions Group currently has over 100[31] subsidiaries including these companies: Baltic Ground Services (BGS), Locatory.com, BAA Training, AviationCV.com, KlasJet, Helisota, Kidy Tour, Jet Maintenance Solutions, Loop, FL Technics and its units : FL Technics Engine Services, FL Technics Logistics Solutions, Storm Aviation, Chevron Technical Services, FlashLine Maintenance, Wright International, FL ARI, FL Techhnics Indonesia. In June 2019 Avia Solutions Group entered into agreement to acquire UK-based Chapman Freeborn Group[32] and in July the Group has signed a $60 million worth Joint Venture agreement to establish a new training center in Zhengzhou city, Henan province (China) in partnership with Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Company (HNCA). In 2020, under the leadership of Gediminas Žiemelis, Avia Solutions Group acquired ground handling and fuelling company Aviatior, cargo and charter operator BlueBird Nordic, multi-purpose arena Avia Solutions Group Arena and the largest ticket distributor in Lithuania - Tiketa. Additionally, the company joined the American Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania.[33] In September 2021, Avia Solutions Group, of which Gediminas Žiemelis is majority shareholder, announced an entry into a strategic partnership with Certares Management LLC through a 300 million euro investment.[34] In 2023, Avia Solutions Group moved its headquarters to Dublin and became an Ireland-based company.[35]
As chairman of the board at Vertas Management (former ZIA Valda), Gediminas led the company through numerous investment, acquisition and development projects including Zverynas lofts,[36] Smolensko business centre, Zveryno verslo fabrikas.[37] In addition to that, Vertas Management (former ZIA Valda)[38] also manages over 20 000 sq m of leased land via VA Reals. In 2020, the construction of the second Avia Solutions Group representative office in Vilnius began.
In 2014, ZIA Valda and Gediminas Žiemelis engaged in the business of duty free by establishing international duty free operator Globus Distribution.[39]
In 2017 he established the pharmaceutical holding Pharnasanta Group.[40] As of 2024 he is no longer associated with the company.[41]
In 2017, Gediminas Žiemelis actively participated in the creation of an international flight claim management platform Skycop. SKYCOP[42] was launched in the beginning of summer 2017.
In 2022, Gediminas Žiemelis introduced his basketball club BC Wolves.[43] BC Wolves are already competing in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the European North Basketball League (ENBL). The club is currently playing its home matches in Alytus Arena but will move to the newly renovated Avia Solutions Group Arena in Vilnius in 2023.[44]