Brian Chafe’s career in aerospace has taken him across Canada and around the world, but his compass has always pointed home to Canada, and more specifically Newfoundland.
Born and raised in St. John’s, Brian’s values are rooted in a deep sense of responsibility. He is committed to the people he works with and the communities they live in. He believes businesses can be successful, while also being great places to work, active in their communities and companies that customers trust.

Brian’s career began in accounting. After earning a commerce degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, he built early leadership experience with Loomis Courier before returning home when Provincial Aerospace (PAL Aerospace and PAL Airlines) appointed him Chief Financial Officer in 1998.

Brian learned early how important the airline was in connecting the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. He led the partnership with the Innu of Labrador that created the first aboriginal owned airline, Innu Mikun in 1999 and travelled extensively to all the communities PAL Airlines serviced forging strong community relationships and building trust which is vital for the success of regional airlines.

As part of a team, Brian helped shape PAL’s aerospace operations across Latin America and the Caribbean, delivering special mission aircraft and support services in Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru. This early international experience laid the groundwork for what would become a defining feature of his career: building long-term global partnerships in complex aerospace and defence markets.

Brian left PAL in 2002 to attend Western University’s Ivey School of Business, completing his MBA in 2004. He returned to PAL as Chief Operating Officer and eventually CEO, and for the next 15 years built a team that positioned PAL as a strong and successful Regional Airline Operator and a successful world class Aerospace and Defence organization.

In 2005 he led a successful effort to establish a business relationship between PAL and the Netherlands Defence forces, culminating in a contract award in 2006. PAL outperformed several larger competitors to secure a $150-million, 10-year contract to provide maritime patrol services in the Netherlands Antilles. The program featured two Dash 8 aircraft designed, modified, and integrated by the company.

In 2009, PAL achieved another major milestone under Brian’s leadership, winning a $370-million contract (winning against several leading international defence firms) to provide the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces with two Dash 8-300 maritime patrol aircraft. The contract included aircraft design, modification, and training for UAE crews.
Brian guided both the pursuit and execution of this landmark agreement, while cultivating strong working relationships with UAE business leaders and government officials. That same year, Brian was recognized as a Top 40 Under 40, an early acknowledgment of the leadership and strategic vision that would continue to define his career.

Building on this momentum, he was awarded the prestigious Fellow Certified Management Accountant (FCMA) designation by the Society of Certified Management Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2012, an honour that recognizes distinguished career achievement, leadership, and significant contributions to the management accounting profession and the broader business community.

Under his leadership, PAL evolved from a small regional operator into a Canadian-owned global aerospace and defence company specializing in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, with operations spanning three continents. The company continued to expand, building a reputation not only for technical excellence but for trust—earned patiently, one customer and one partnership at a time.

Brian defines “family” broadly, extending the term to employees, clients, and the communities that support them. That philosophy shaped some of the most pivotal moments of his career, including the 2014 sale of the PAL Group to Exchange Income Corporation (EIC). While the transaction provided scale and long-term stability, Brian worked closely with EIC ownership to ensure PAL’s company’s culture, leadership team, and Newfoundland and Labrador roots remained firmly intact. This unwavering commitment to culture and community ultimately led to his recognition as Atlantic Business CEO of the Year in 2017.

After retiring from PAL in 2019, Brian was drawn back to aerospace by the opportunity to lead De Havilland Canada, taking on the challenge of rebuilding the iconic Canadian company and positioning it for success in its second century.

Since becoming Chief Executive Officer in January 2022, Brian has led the transformation of De Havilland Canada into a revitalized company positioning it as a cornerstone of the country’s aerospace future and a globally competitive aircraft OEM. Under his leadership, the company has launched multiple major programs, including the DHC-515 waterbomber, the Twin Otter Classic 300G and an avionics modernization program across the entire De Havilland aircraft fleet.

Brian doesn’t like or seek the spotlight, often deflects credit to his team, believing leadership is ultimately about accountability, both in good times and bad. He stresses the importance of team, and the unwavering commitment and accountability to each other that a team must have to be successful. As he once put it, he doesn’t just feel responsible for all our employees, but for the thousands of people who depend on them along with the people in the communities where we operate. That sense of ‘family,’ more than titles or business deals, have defined him and his career.