Novus Aviation Capital has appointed Motonari Komatsu as Head of Japan. Motonari, who joined the company on 1st May 2025, succeeds Mitsuru “Brian” Koguchi, who will be retiring but will continue to support Novus in the near term to ensure a smooth transition.
Motonari joins Novus from Société Générale Japan, where as Managing Director and Head of Aviation he led numerous Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option (JOLCO) transactions. His previous experience also includes senior roles at Crédit Agricole and ORIX, where he managed significant aviation finance portfolios and supported a range of structured leasing transactions.
Novus has an established and strong track record in Japan, including successful franchises such as the Ortus operating lease funds and its leading mezzanine debt products Tamweel Aviation Finance and Cedar Aviation Finance. Motonariwill be focused on continuing to expand Novus’s presence in Japan and broadening the company’s offerings.
“We are deeply grateful for Mitsuru’s contributions to Novus, including the relationships he has helped strengthen during his time with us, and we wish him all the best in his retirement,” said Hani Kuzbari, Co-CEO at Novus Aviation Capital. “We are excited to welcome Motonari to our team. His expertise and industry knowledge will be instrumental in supporting Novus’s growth and reinforcing our strategic positioning in Japan providing better support to all our stakeholders.”
For his part, Motonari Komatsu said, “I am pleased to join Novus Aviation Capital. Its innovative financial products and strong track record position us perfectly to deepen existing relationships and forge new partnerships to drive sustainable growth in this strategically important market. I am very much looking forward to working with those existing and new partners from now on.”
