Equiom appoints Lionel Richard as director of luxury asset services | Corporate Jet Investor | CJI news

Equiom, a global trust and corporate services provider, has appointed Lionel Richard as director of luxury asset services, signaling a deliberate expansion of the firm's integrated ownership and management capabilities in private aviation and superyachts. Richard brings more than 17 years of experience in international luxury asset management, with particular depth in superyacht structures and cross-border governance. His background spans key financial and operational hubs including London and Monaco, and his mandate will focus on coordinating Equiom's service offering across jurisdictions and aligning it with the full asset lifecycle — from acquisition through operational management and long-term planning.

For corporate and business aviation operators, the appointment reflects a broader market recognition that aircraft ownership structures have grown significantly more complex, particularly for internationally mobile clients holding assets across multiple legal and tax jurisdictions. High-net-worth individuals and family offices operating aircraft under Part 91, 91K, or international equivalents increasingly require coordinated counsel that addresses not just ownership entity structuring but also regulatory compliance, management agreements, and operational administration in a cohesive framework. Firms like Equiom compete in a space that intersects private wealth management, aviation law, and aircraft administration — services that directly affect how aircraft are titled, how operational costs are allocated, and how charter or shared-use arrangements are structured under applicable aviation authority rules.

The framing of private aviation alongside superyachts is deliberate and telling. Both asset classes share common structural challenges: cross-border registration, flag-state or state-of-registry considerations, beneficial ownership transparency requirements, VAT and import duty exposure, and the operational demands of assets that move freely across jurisdictions. The regulatory environment for both has tightened considerably in the post-2018 period, driven by OECD common reporting standards, EU beneficial ownership registers, and increased scrutiny from aviation authorities on the true nature of aircraft use — particularly the distinction between private use and commercial operations, which carries significant certification and tax consequences.

Richard's appointment also reflects a consolidation trend in the service provider market, where wealth management firms are increasingly building in-house aviation and luxury asset competencies rather than referring clients outward to standalone aircraft management companies or aviation legal specialists. Equiom already operates across a significant number of jurisdictions through its corporate and fiduciary services infrastructure, giving it a structural advantage in serving clients whose aviation holdings span, for example, a Cayman-registered holding company, a UK-based operating entity, and an aircraft based in continental Europe. For flight departments and operators working with clients who use these kinds of layered structures, understanding which advisory relationships govern the ownership entity has practical implications for everything from insurance procurement to maintenance financing and crew employment arrangements.

The broader trend underscored by this hire is the professionalization of luxury asset services as a distinct advisory discipline rather than an ancillary function within private banking or legal practices. As aircraft values, operating costs, and regulatory burdens continue to rise, ownership structures that were manageable with basic trust and company arrangements a decade ago now require active, specialist governance. Pilots and aviation operators working in the Part 91 and business jet space will increasingly encounter clients and owners who are supported by integrated service providers like Equiom, and understanding the governance layer above the aircraft — who controls the ownership entity, who has authority to direct operations, and how operational decisions interact with the broader wealth structure — remains an operationally and legally relevant consideration for any professional engaged in high-end private aviation.