Senior Management Team

Christine Baird, President of CHC Global Operations

Born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland, Christine Baird began her aviation career in 1981 when she joined Sealand Helicopters. In 1987, Ms. Baird was made Sealand's Special Projects Manager, she was promoted to the position of Commercial Manager in 1989 and was later promoted to Executive Vice President of CHC Helicopters International (1991). Ms. Baird's management philosophy focuses on team building, open and effective communication and the encouragement of personal growth and development. This perspective allows Ms. Baird to successfully manage more than 2,500 employees in 30 countries worldwide. Ms. Baird was appointed President of CHC Helicopters International in 1998 and President of CHC Global Operations in 2004.

Brian Clegg, Vice President of Resources and Flight Operations

Mr. Clegg started his career in the helicopter industry as a Line Pilot after receiving his Commercial Pilots License in 1976. After 13 years of experience in the field, Mr. Clegg joined CHC as Operations Manager for CHC Helicopter Corporation Western Division. In 1994, he returned to the field with CHC Helicopters International as a Base Manager in both Africa and Thailand until 1998, when he returned to Vancouver as Vice President, Resources and Operations. Mr. Clegg's understanding of the challenges associated with operating an international base makes him an effective leader for the men and women who work for CHC around the world, and an important resource for our customers.

Chris Krajewski, Vice President of Business Development

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Mr. Krajewski joined CHC in 1993 after having served as an officer in the Royal Netherlands Air Force in various operational and instructive positions. Mr. Krajewski began his career at CHC as Project Manager for CHC's UN Somalia base before moving on to become the UN Operations Manager, the Manager of Base Operations, and Commercial Manager. Mr. Krajewski has performed increasingly demanding roles in both the Operations and Commercial Departments where he has made tremendous contributions to CHC's expansion. In his current role, Mr. Krajewski actively seeks out new opportunities and strategic alliances, while developing new markets. His expertise in flight operations and business development make him an invaluable tool for CHC and our customers.

Jeff Smith , Vice President of Commercial

Born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland, Mr. Smith joined CHC in 2008 after more than a decade in the technology industry. Mr. Smith is a multi-disciplined executive who combines global business development experience with deep financial and operational expertise. Mr. Smith has a track record of success in establishing international partnerships, building new sales channels and achieving customer satisfaction. He earned his Chartered Accountant designation with Ernst & Young and is also a Chartered Business Valuator. During his time in the technology industry, Mr. Smith played leadership roles in the post-merger integration efforts of over $8 billion in M&A transactions. In addition to career success Mr. Smith also makes time for volunteer activity, serving on the Board of Directors of prominent Canadian charities including Anaphylaxis Canada and Covenant House Vancouver.

Phillip Larsen, Vice President of Aircraft Asset Management

Mr. Larsen began his career in 1978 as a Mechanical Engineer. He has worked in the aircraft industry as a Structures Design Engineer, Chief Engineer, Manager of Fleet Engineering, Manager of Aircraft Interior Maintenance, Manager of Narrow Body Aircraft Maintenance and Director of Maintenance for a major commercial airline.  Within CHC he has previously held the positions of Vice President of Maintenance and Engineering for CHC Helicopter International, Vice President of Technical Service for CHC Global Operations and currently is the Vice President, Aircraft Asset Management for CHC Global Operations.  Mr. Larsen holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and a diploma of Technology in Advanced Manufacturing from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He is a Transport Canada Delegated Engineer, holds a Fixed Wing Air Transport Pilot License and a Commercial Helicopter License.   Mr. Larsen joined CHC in 2002 and continues to offer invaluable expertise to the CHC operation.

Huub Langeveld, Vice President of Finance

Born in the Netherlands, Mr. Langeveld earned a Bachelor of Business Economics degree from the Business School in Haarlem, NL, and achieved a Chartered Accountant designation through the University of Amsterdam. In 2000, Mr. Langeveld joined the Schreiner Aviation Group as Corporate Controller with prime responsibility for African operations. In July of 2004, he became the Chief Financial Officer with CHC Helicopter’s Business Unit in Nigeria. In October 2005, Mr. Langeveld transferred to the Global Operations head office in Vancouver, and became the Vice President of Finance. His broad range of global financial experience makes Mr. Langeveld an excellent resource for CHC Global Operations.

Jim Swoboda, Vice President of Technical Services

Mr. Swoboda initially joined the aviation industry in an engineering role for a major fixed wing airline. He worked in a range of engineering support roles, including: airframe modification, reliability and maintenance optimization, and program manager for large corporate marketing initiatives. He took on increasing levels of responsiblity in the airlines, before joining CHC in 2005 as Aircraft Modification Project Manager. He quickly learned to adapt to the challenges of matching equipment to customer's requirements in the global environment where CHC operates. Mr. Swoboda was promoted to Vice President, Technical Services in 2007, where his extensive experience continues to be an asset to CHC.

Greg Wyght, Vice President of Safety & Quality

Mr. Wyght began his career in aviation in 1987 as a bench and airframe mechanic. He earned his commercial pilot's license in 1990, after which he spent 10 years flying domestically for CHC. He accepted the position of Base Manager in Azerbaijan in 1999, followed by the position of Manager of Integrated Safety Systems in 2002, and was promoted to Vice President, Safety in 2003. Mr. Wyght has shown strong leadership in the development and implementation of an enhanced Safety Management System, which has cemented CHC as a world leader in safety. He was appointed Vice President, Safety & Quality in 2004. Mr. Wyght served as co-chair on the International Helicopter Safety Team's Joint Helicopter Safety Implementation Team (JHSIT). Greg Wyght's varied experiences and unique perspective make him an invaluable resource to promoting safety within the organization.