The new Airbus Executive Committee (EC) will comprise nine members, three less than previously. Confirmed EC members are chief operating officer Fabrice Brégier, chief financial officer Hans Peter Ring, COO of customers John Leahy, executive vice president of programs Tom Williams; EVP of engineering Patrick Gavin, and EVP of operations Gerald Weber.
New appointees to the Airbus executive committee are Thierry Baril as EVP of human resources, effective October 1, and Klaus Richter as EVP of procurement, who will join Airbus on November 1. Since the departure of the previous function heads, HR and procurement have been led by EADS HR director Jussi Itävuori and Tom Williams, respectively. Furthermore, Christian Scherer is appointed EVP of strategy and future programs, reporting directly to the CEO. The appointments were agreed by the EADS CEO.
Fabrice Brégier, Airbus' No. 2, will continue to have operational responsibility for Power8, the company's wide-ranging restructuring and change program. His other main responsibilities include the EC functions of operations, engineering and procurement, and the A350 program.
"Today's decisions complete the reshuffle of Airbus' top executive team. The new, leaner management structure allows for clear leadership and accountabilities. It will enable faster decision-making and better integration of processes and functions all across the company. The new top management reflects - in structure as well as in competence - the challenges and priorities we have to tackle in the coming years. Together with this team, I will continue to build the new Airbus, started by Louis Gallois," said Tom Enders when announcing the new organization. "The creation of a new EVP position for strategy and future Programs reporting directly to me reflects the importance I attach to long-term business development and future technologies."
Baril has been EVP of human resources for EADS' Eurocopter Division since 2003. He had previously worked for several multinational companies such as Alstom Energy and GE Power Systems, as well as Alcatel Space. During his professional career, he gained much experience in working in several multinational environments. This will bring great benefits to the new Airbus.
Richter will join Airbus from BMW, where he currently heads the production materials purchasing division. His worldwide experience in procurement in the automobile industry will facilitate the implementation of the new procurement model that Airbus is putting into place in the frame of the Power8 program. As such, he will lead the procurement area into a new phase, while building up an improved relationship with our suppliers.
Scherer joined Airbus in 1984, becoming successively head of contracting and pricing, and then head of leasing markets, and was deputy head of commercial of Airbus. His long experience with the company and the airliner market is a strong asset when having to define the long-term strategy of the company. He had previously been in charge of future programs.
Airbus is an EADS company.
Airbus Executive Committee Members:
| Tom Enders | President and Chief Executive Officer |
| Fabrice Bregier | Chief Operating Officer |
| Hans-Peter Ring | Chief Financial Officer |
| John Leahy | COO Customers |
| Tom Williams | Executive Vice President Programmes |
| Patrick Gavin | Executive Vice President Engineering |
| Gerald Weber | Executive Vice President Operations |
| Thierry Baril | Executive Vice President Human Resources |
| Klaus Richter | Executive Vice President Procurement |
