Katerina Barilov, Advisory Board Member
Ms. Barilov is currently the Co-Founder and Head of Business Development for Jump Aero. Jump Aero is an early stage startup working to leverage emerging eVTOL technology to help first responders save lives. She is actively involved in next-gen emerging aviation technologies and sits on the advisory boards of two other startups, Hermeus Aviation and Spike Aviation. She also serves on the NBAA Emerging Tech Committee.
Aside from her interest in eVTOL, Ms. Barilov has extensive experience in aviation, structured asset-backed finance, and corporate strategy. Prior to her experience with Shearwater, Ms. Barilov was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs’ Industrials Group in New York, focused on assisting top tier aviation, aerospace and defense clients. In this role, Ms. Barilov conduced analyses, created materials, and facilitated execution in all phases of the deal process, including pitching, industry research, valuation analysis, deal execution and due diligence for clients in aerospace and aviation. Ms. Barilov has been involved in numerous successful M&A, IPO and Spin-off processes.
Prior to Goldman Sachs, she ran the Structured Finance division for Europe Middle East and Africa at Hawker Beechcraft, a leading aerospace manufacturer based out of Wichita Kansas. She joined Hawker Beechcraft during an unprecedented downturn in general aviation as part of a small team of structured finance professionals formed to create a new solution for sales financing support of cross-border aircraft acquisitions. The team designed and launched a Structured Finance department which developed and maintained relationships with third party financiers, structured financing support and conducted credit analysis of potential clients. In her role, Ms. Barilov sourced transactions, developed and maintained a network of 200+ financiers, and structured and arranged complex transactions, liaising between lawyers, insurers, bankers and clients, overseeing due diligence, documentation, and credit processes.
She holds an MBA and Bachelors degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. She is an avid pilot with a passion for aerobatic competition with experience in a Pitts S2C. She spends her free time focused on adventure flying in her modified Piper Colt, cycling and running.
