New CEO For Pacific Aerospace Corporation
Mechanical engineer Paul Hebberd, 46, has been appointed CEO of Hamilton-based Pacific Aerospace Corporation. He
replaces John McWilliam who is now the company’s technical director – a critical new role created to cope with the
unprecedented growth Pacific Aerospace Corporation is experiencing.
Hebberd, who took up his new appointment on April 19, has a strong background in design, production and project
management in a number of industry sectors. His aviation industry experience includes eight years with British
Aerospace, in the UK, where he served his apprenticeship, and several years managing project standards for Westland
Helicopters, also in the UK. He then spent eight years with Jaguar Cars in various roles which included project
management on the XJ6.
Since relocating to New Zealand 11 years ago, Hebberd has filled a variety of engineering roles, the most recent being
running his own business manufacturing horizontal drilling machines. He sees his biggest challenge in his new role as
helping Pacific Aerospace Corporation gear up to meet the production demands coming as a result of the recent FAA
certification of the PAC 750XL aircraft.
A married man with two adult children, Hebberd counts playing badminton and restoring, maintaining and racing motorcars
among his interests. Currently resident in Auckland, he’ll soon be relocating to Cambridge.