Airbus top engineering executive to step down in March 2011

[News_Editor]

Airbus top engineering executive to step down in March 2011

2010-11-23 01:44:49 GMT+7 (ICT)

BLAGNAC, FRANCE (BNO NEWS) -- Airbus on Monday announced that its production chief Gerald Weber will be leaving the company at the end of 2011.

Weber, 61, from Germany, is currently the Executive Vice-President of Operations, Member of the Airbus Executive Committee in Toulouse and Head of Airbus Operations GmbH in Hamburg, Germany after joining the company in April 2007.

"Seeing a lot of positive and tangible results of nearly four years of intensive work, I feel it is time for me to move on," Weber said.

"I am very proud of all that has been achieved with my team. And it is time for my successor to come on board and take the manufacturing to its next level: the A350 XWB. I am looking forward to introducing my successor to the international Airbus manufacturing team, our fascinating products and our great challenges ahead," Weber added.

Weber was hired to contribute to Airbus’ restructuring by bringing in decades of international manufacturing and engineering experience from the automotive industry, the company said.

He was tasked to change the companies industrial set-up by introducing state-of-the-art manufacturing methods and processes at Airbus, fix the A380 processes and lead it to a steady series production, prepare for the A400M series production and to initiate a change management process at Airbus.

"Gerald Weber has fully accomplished his mission: Airbus today has a state-of-the-art international manufacturing set-up following the introduction of Lean principles and processes, A380 and A400M manufacturing is stabilized and set for growth, and Airbus in Germany has found its crucial role in our transnational operation," Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders said.

Airbus said a successor has been identified from outside the EADS group and will be appointed at the beginning of 2011.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-11-23