Dreamstone Partners Strengthens Aviation Finance Expertise with Senior Hire, Establishes Position as Aircraft Investment Platform

Dreamstone Partners, a Korea-based aviation finance consulting firm led by CEO Kenneth Kang, has bolstered its global strategy by appointing industry veteran Yiping Ke as Managing Director following the formation of a strategic joint venture with U.S.-based aviation investment firm AIP Capital.

The joint venture was launched after AIP Capital participated in Dreamstone Partners’ capital increase, becoming its second-largest shareholder and establishing a solid collaborative structure. As part of this partnership, Jared Ailstock, CEO of AIP Capital, was officially appointed as Co-CEO of Dreamstone Partners, while Scott Debano joined the board of directors to strengthen decision-making across aircraft investment, asset management, and risk control. Together, the firms are operating a joint aircraft leasing and investment platform, marking the completion of a rare aviation-focused investment infrastructure in Korea.

As part of this global initiative, Dreamstone Partners welcomed Yiping Ke as a key leadership hire. Currently overseeing aircraft leasing and asset management across the Dreamstone–AIP Capital JV platform, Ke brings over 20 years of experience spanning aircraft procurement, leasing, delivery, trading, and financing. He was a founding member of CMIG Aviation Capital and served as Head of Structured Finance & Trading. An aerospace engineering graduate, Ke earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

CEO Kenneth Kang commented, “With this appointment, Dreamstone Partners is fully prepared to provide specialized services in aircraft investment and asset management to corporates and investors in Korea.” Over the past 15 years, Dreamstone’s aviation investment team has successfully executed 280 aircraft transactions with 49 airlines worldwide, totaling approximately KRW 28 trillion (USD 21 billion).

Co-CEO Jared Ailstock added, “As an integrated aircraft investment platform providing expert talent, proven systems, and comprehensive post-investment management, we aim to establish a differentiated position in both the Korean and global markets. Our goal is to deliver superior services to Korean investors that go beyond what existing leasing companies offer.”

The Dreamstone–AIP Capital consortium also plans to partner with Korean private equity firms under a Co-GP structure, moving away from single-project investments toward more structured portfolio strategies. This approach is designed to minimize downside risk while ensuring stable returns—a shared objective of both firms.