Airbus Takes Decisive Step, Separating Leadership for Commercial Aircraft Unit Once More

After five years, Airbus has decided to separate the leadership of its Commercial Aircraft unit once more, announcing the appointment of Christian Scherer, the current commercial director, as the new CEO of Commercial Aircraft.

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This move comes as the manufacturer based in Toulouse seeks to accelerate the production rate of its aircraft, primarily from the A320neo family, to address the post-pandemic surge in demand amid challenges putting pressure on the supply chain.

In a statement, Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, said that merging the leadership roles of Airbus and the Commercial Aircraft unit provided «alignment and speed of execution during a period of multiple crises and change» while positioning the group on what he defined as a «clear trajectory» in line with its purpose of being «pioneering sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world«.

«Empowering Christian in the Commercial Aircraft CEO role will enable us to reinforce focus on the success of our Commercial Aircraft business while allowing me to dedicate my time to steering Airbus in a complex and fast-evolving global environment,» continued Faury, noting that he and Scherer have been «working hand in hand over the last five years» and he admires his «business acumen«.

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Christian Scherer said, «It is an honour and a thrill to be called upon to lead our Commercial Aircraft business at such a critical time for our industry.»

«I’ll put my passion and that of Team Airbus at the service of our customers to meet our operational objectives as we work to consolidate our success, continuously improve, and prepare the future of our products and services. As we do so, we will work closely with our partners and suppliers worldwide on our common roadmap to decarbonize aviation«, he concluded.

Scherer‘s assumption of the role is set to take effect on January 1, 2024, while over the next few months, the new organizational structure will be rolled out in collaboration with unions.

Between January and August 2023, Airbus delivered 433 commercial aircraft to 77 clients worldwide. The manufacturer plans  to end the year by delivering a total of 720 jets.