David Yu, PhD, CFA, is Chairman and Managing Director of AAVA Group and Chief Investment Officer of Inception Holdings, with deep expertise in international investments, capital markets, and cross-border portfolio strategy. A Senior ISTAT Certified Aviation Appraiser, one of approximately 20 globally, he is recognized for leadership in real asset investing, valuation, structured finance, and institutional asset allocation, particularly across aviation, energy, and global infrastructure sectors. He also serves as Professor of Practice in Finance at NYU Shanghai and the Stern School. Yu has extensive experience working with family offices, institutional investors, and global capital platforms, previously serving as a private equity fund CIO, C-suite executive, China Chief Representative, Head of Asia, and Senior Executive Committee member for a major family investment conglomerate. An experienced entrepreneur with two successful exits, including a public listing, he has operated as a direct investor, banker, lessor, and strategic advisor, supporting complex cross-border transactions and portfolio construction. Having lived and worked across more than 10 countries on 4 continents, he is a frequent contributor featured by Forbes, Bloomberg, Financial Times, Nikkei Asia, and The Wall Street Journal. His book, Aircraft Valuation: Airplane Investments as an Asset Class (Palgrave Macmillan), has received international recognition.
