The head of Australia’s GAM Group, Carl Jepsen clearly hasn’t forgotten what got him to the top. Just like the apprentices in his shop, Jepsen got his start as an apprentice at 16, and spent the next 15 years learning how to troubleshoot and maintain airplanes and helicopters. He worked his way up to eventually managing operations and sales. After running a few facilities and earning a master’s degree in business administration in his native New Zealand, the Kiwi moved to Australia to head the GAM Group.
That was 10 years ago, and Jepsen said he feels like he is still learning, and enjoying the challenges that come with the job. “It’s a great place to work,” he said. “It’s one of the most rewarding positions I’ve held.” With GAM’s big focus on aircraft operations, he had to learn on the job about what it takes to keep such a massive operation running efficiently.
With such a broad range of experience to draw from, Jepsen is focusing on the future and how to grow the business. “As baby boomers get out, there’s a lot of opportunities to grow organically and through acquisitions as well. Although there won’t be any changes for me personally, I see lots of changes to the shape of our business in the future.”
