Gogo Inc. has filled two senior leadership positions. Gustavo Nader will join Gogo as the new chief strategy officer and Melissa Hale will serve as senior VP of product and marketing.

“The addition of Melissa and Gustavo to our Gogo senior leadership team is good news for our company. They each have deep aviation acumen in their respective fields that will prove invaluable as we continue on our growth trajectory,” says Oakleigh Thorne, Gogo's chairman and CEO. “We are excited to welcome them on board.”

As chief strategy officer, Nader, a telecommunications executive with 30 years of experience in the terrestrial and satellite communications industries, will oversee Gogo's strategy and be responsible for facilitating strategic planning, sustaining implementation efforts and exploring strategic opportunities and partnerships through business development as the company progresses in its technology evolution.

“With Gustavo's breadth of experience and expertise, he will be tasked with directing our strategic planning efforts as Gogo continues to capitalise on our competitive advantages and innovative technologies. I'm confident he will help us to anticipate and interpret market shifts, realise long-term growth opportunities and drive shareholder value,” Thorne continues.

Nader says: “Gogo enjoys an enviable market position and a technologically robust and differentiated service. I'm delighted to be joining such a uniquely talented team and look forward to leveraging my experience in the telecommunications and connectivity industries to help the company secure continued and sustainable growth.”

Prior to joining Gogo, Nader was the head of strategy for Thales InFlyt Experience, in charge of the company's global strategy for inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC). He also served as VP of international corporate development with Echostar, focused on the development of international satellite and spectrum assets for fixed and mobile satellite services. Nader has also held senior positions at Inmarsat, Ligado Networks and T-Mobile (formerly Sprint Nextel).

Melissa Hale, a proven leader with a rich aviation background and 17 years of business experience, joins Gogo as senior VP of product and marketing. She will be responsible for driving alignment in Gogo's product and marketing organisations to further deliver on customers' needs.

“Melissa's impressive and proven experience in all aspects of business will serve to elevate and align our product and marketing efforts as we hone our customer focus, continue to enhance our Avance offerings, and execute our 5G go-to market strategy. I'm excited for her to be at the helm and lead our teams through this transformational time,” states Sergio Aguirre, president of Gogo Business Aviation.

Hale adds: “I am incredibly grateful and excited to be joining Gogo. I look forward to learning from the team, growing together and contributing to the continued success of this unique and fascinating company.”

Prior to joining Gogo, Hale was director of programme avionics at Gulfstream Aerospace and held roles in operations, customer support, programmes, engineering and sales and marketing. With early roots as a C-130 pilot, she is a combat veteran with expert knowledge of avionics, services and business aircraft systems.