Airbus names Guillaume Faury as chief executive

Airbus has named Frenchman Guillaume Faury (pictured left) as its next Chief Executive Officer.

The 50-year-old Faury currently serves as president of Airbus’ commercial aircraft division.

One of his first jobs, when he takes over, will be to get his head around a post-Brexit Airbus and what impact the UK leaving the EU will have on group operations over here and in Europe.

Tom Enders, 59, (pictured right) will remain as CEO until the Annual General Meeting on  10 April 2019, when the appointment of Faury as executive member of the Board will be submitted to shareholders.

Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus, said: “Guillaume is an excellent choice. He has gained broad industrial and aeronautic experience over many years and in many roles both inside and outside Airbus. With his strong values and international mindset, Guillaume stands for the new generation of leaders that Airbus needs for the coming decade. He knows he can rely on me to facilitate a smooth transition.”

Guillaume Faury served in various senior management roles at Eurocopter from 1998 to 2008.

Starting in Engineering, then Flight Test, he later became Executive Vice President for Commercial Programmes, then Executive Vice President for Research and Development.

In 2009, Faury joined Peugeot S.A., where he served as Executive Vice President for Research and Development as a Member of the Managing Board. In May 2013, Faury returned to Airbus as CEO of Airbus Helicopters and in early 2018 he took the helm of Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

“I am honoured to have been selected by the Board to lead this extraordinary company.
I look forward to taking on this new challenge with passion and enthusiasm, relying on the exceptional expertise and engagement of all Airbus people around the world,” said Guillaume Faury.

“For the coming months I remain fully dedicated to leading the commercial aircraft business, delivering our utmost to satisfy our commercial aircraft customers and transitioning the organisation to the next generation of leaders.”

Images/ Airbus/WSJ