Welcome Pablo Herrero — DHC’s new Senior Director, Strategy.
De Havilland Canada is thrilled to welcome, Pablo Herrero to the team. Reporting to Brian Chafe, Pablo will lead the strategy team of Drew Hall and Shelby Jessiman. He will have oversight for all strategy and corporate development-related activities at DHC including governance/KPIs, sustainability, international development, DHC’s overall footprint strategy, including all worldwide customer support centres as well as DHC’s manufacturing facilities, and any other environmental, social and governance priorities.
He is an executive with over 15 years of leadership experience running strategy departments with responsibilities to deliver M&A, asset/network optimization, demand and finance planning, cost reduction efforts, and third-party partnerships programs. His background includes work in aerospace, construction materials, food/beverage retail, and energy. Pablo exhibits many of the DHC values, including Accountability and Respect as he has successfully manoeuvred through cross-functional environments while building responsive and collaborative teams in previous roles, making him a great fit for DHC.
Pablo also brings 20 years of experience in both management consulting, with stints at McKinsey and Strategy& (part of the PwC network); and in industry with roles at Holcim Canada / China Bombardier, Molson Coors Canada, and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges. He’s excited to bring his international experience from US/Europe/Mexico/China to De Havilland Canada.
He brings a strong focus on execution and feels that his strength is ensuring that strategy is set at an enterprise level and is deeply internalized and managed through the organization. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Math and Computer Science, a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a PhD in Epidemiology and Toxicology, all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Pablo sees the opportunity to join DHC as both a chance to step up into an enterprise-wide strategy role and to work for an organization which he highly respects. He is currently residing in the Toronto area but is moving his way west in the coming weeks. He is Canadian and originally from Madrid, Spain and has lived in various parts of the world. He’s excited for his move to Calgary and welcomes any tips on where to visit, eat and travel around his new city and province.
Pablo will work out of the CGY7 head office, please take the time to welcome him to the team when you see him.
On Behalf of Sandra Howell, Vice-President, Corporate Operations and Programs
We are pleased to announce that Silvia Bianchi will be joining us as Director, Recurring and Refurbishment Programs effective May 5, 2025. Reporting to Sandra Howell, Silvia will be responsible for overseeing the successful execution of multiple recurring aircraft programs in manufacturing, and refurbishment projects in the AMO to achieve committed entry into service dates to align with the strategic business transformation strategy.
Silvia is an experienced programs and engineering leader with a 20+ year track record. Described as a “high-energy ‘change agent’ with a wealth of international leadership experience”, Silvia’s career spans multiple countries including South Africa, Germany, Italy, Canada and the US, and has worked predominantly in the aerospace industry. She is the current Chair of the Board of Directors at Women in Aerospace Canada and sits on multiple other Boards and Advisory Councils, all in service to advancing aviation/aeronautics and education.
Silvia has obtained her Executive MBA, and a double Master’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering (Flight Dynamics & Aerodynamics, as well as Technology of Flight), and possesses her P. Eng and PMP designation.
On Behalf of Janet Wardle, Vice-President Supply Chain & Engineering
We are pleased to announce that Riaan Myburgh will be joining us as Director, Aircraft Development and Research & Development effective May 5, 2025. He will report to Janet Wardle. Riaan will be responsible for leading and managing the execution of the strategic initiatives in new product development for De Havilland Canada. From an engineering standpoint, he will drive the development of new products from conception to launch.
Riaan is an experienced engineering leader with a 23+ year track record of contributing to complex aerospace projects. During his career, he has contributed to several aircraft programs, ranging from innovative designs at start-up companies to flagship products at large multi-national corporations. He holds advanced degrees in engineering, possesses strong sense-making ability, and brings broad exposure to work and organizational cultures from around the world. Riaan typically works across multiple engineering functions and is frequently occupied with the task of organizing and leading large technical teams. Riaan holds an MSc. Eng. (Aerospace) from the University of Kansas.
We are pleased to announce that Nancy Hill will be joining us as Senior Director, Product Development Engineering effective May 12, 2025. She will report to Janet Wardle. Nancy will be responsible for overseeing the end-to-end engineering process for aircraft product development, including design, analysis, testing, certification, and production integration. This role combines technical leadership with strategic oversight to ensure that the development of new aircraft products meets performance, safety, and regulatory standards while aligning with company objectives.
Nancy is an experienced engineering leader with 24+ years of aerospace experience. During her career, Nancy worked for Bombardier for 19 years contributing to several aircraft programs, with experience ranging from Hydromechanical Systems, Aerostructures, Supplier Compliance and Quality, Nancy then built on her experience from Bombardier and joined MDA as the Director, Safety & Misson Assurance. Nancy holds a BEng. (Mechanical) from Carlton University.
Please join us in welcoming everyone to the team and supporting them in their new roles!
Team: Announcements