MAHESH KUMAR

Chief Executive Officer, Asia Digital Engineering (ADE)

Mahesh Kumar, 39, has served as Chief Executive Officer of Asia Digital Engineering (ADE) since September 2020, having founded and spearheaded its rapid rise into one of Southeast Asia’s leading Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) providers. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Capital A Berhad, ADE was born from AirAsia’s Engineering Department and has since been transformed under Mahesh’s leadership into a data and technology-driven powerhouse serving both AirAsia and a growing portfolio of global airline clients across the region.

In just under five years, ADE has earned recognition as an Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) in 10 countries, alongside achieving EASA Part 145 Maintenance Organisation Approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and FAA certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. ADE currently operates 16 MRO lines, including its flagship 14-line hangar— the largest of its kind in Malaysia. To date, the company has completed over 180 heavy maintenance checks (C-checks) and manages an average of 16,000 transit checks per month across more than 20 airports.

Prior to becoming CEO, Mahesh served as Head of Fleet & Technical Asset Management at AirAsia, where he played a key role in securing two major aircraft portfolio transactions with BBAM Aircraft Leasing & Management and Castlelake LP worth a combined USD 3.6 billion—deals that won the 2018 Air Finance Journal Award and 2019 APAC Airline Economics Award. In 2015, he was appointed as Senior Vice President, Technical of Asia Aviation Capital Limited, AirAsia’s newly established aircraft leasing arm at the time.

Mahesh joined AirAsia’s Engineering Department in 2009, contributing to strategic projects including the selection and definition of aircraft and engine types, the establishment of AirAsia India Engineering, and the transformation of Zest Airways into AirAsia Philippines.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering.