William Hynett OBE is to step down from his role as CEO at sub-regional aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman. No replacement has been announced yet.

Hynett has been at the helm of the company for more than 20 years, and has overseen significant change. Notably, he spearheaded the re-shoring of Islander production from Romania back to the UK and has steered the airframer through difficult economic times.

Last March, he was instrumental in securing investment from private equity firm 4D Capital Partners which came shortly after the firm filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators, but before any insolvency process was started.

Hynett will remain with the company in a non-executive director role, where he will focus on business strategy.

READ: Private equity saw ‘latent value’ in saving Britten-Norman

“It has been an honour to serve Britten-Norman over the past two decades,” says Hynett. “This business has always been more than just a company to me — it’s a part of my family’s legacy. It was my late father, Maurice Hynett, who first encouraged me to get involved, and I’ve carried that sense of personal commitment with me ever since. I am incredibly proud of what the team has achieved in safeguarding our heritage, supporting our customers, and investing in our future. With new capital backing and an exciting strategic roadmap, now is the right time to hand over day-to-day leadership. I look forward to supporting Britten-Norman and its next chapter from the Board.”