S5E10: From Wall Street to 30,000 Feet: How VistaJet President, Leona Qi, Built Her Path in Private Aviation

What The Luxe

From Wall Street to aviation boardrooms, some career pivots reveal more about leadership evolution than industry mechanics. Leona Qi’s journey from finance to becoming President of VistaJet US offers insights into navigating male-dominated sectors, building operational excellence, and redefining what executive presence looks like in luxury industries. With women representing less than 5% of aviation executives, Leona discusses the misconceptions about career paths in the sector, the importance of mentoring emerging female leaders, and her prediction that the next decade will see the greatest wealth transfer to women in history. She shares how Wall Street taught her to manage risk with imperfect information—a skill that translates beyond trading floors. The conversation explores her philosophy on long-term thinking in an instant-gratification world, why globalisation requires radical localisation, and the small details that signal understanding of different markets. Qi reflects on the privilege of witnessing customers’ journeys from startup funding rounds to IPO celebrations, and her vision for a future where female business leaders are simply called “business leaders.”