Airbus: change of chairman of the board of directors in October 2026

At the 2026 annual general meeting of Airbus SE, the European aerospace company with its registered office in the Netherlands and its operational headquarters in France, which took place on 14 April in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, changes to the composition of the board of directors were approved.

The three-year terms of the non-executive members of the board were renewed: these are Mark Dunkerley, Stephan Gemkow and Antony Wood. Two new non-executive members are also joining the board of directors. Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, CEO of the Danish defence and aerospace company Terma A/S, has been appointed for a three-year term, replacing Prof. Dr Feiyu Xu, whose term expired at the conclusion of the meeting. The board acknowledges the contributions made by Prof. Dr Feiyu Xu on technological issues such as digitalisation and AI. Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management of the automotive group BMW AG, has also been appointed as a non-executive member. His initial term is for one year, to serve out the remainder of Victor Chu’s term, who has asked to step down from the board following this year’s general meeting, after serving for eight years.

René Obermann announced his decision not to stand for re-election as a director at the 2027 annual general meeting, when his term of office expires. Furthermore, with effect from 1 October 2026, he will step down as chairman of the board of directors, and Amparo Moraleda has been appointed to succeed him.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve Airbus for nearly a decade, during a period that has constantly tested the resilience of the entire Company, while also demonstrating the collective strength of Team Airbus. The Company has established itself as a leader in civil aviation, including helicopters, and has successfully reshaped its Defence and Space division,” said René Obermann. “I am thankful to our shareholders and customers for placing their trust in Airbus during this time. I am confident in the Company’s future financial performance and industrial trajectory, with a highly experienced Board, a strong management team and a highly committed team of 165,000 colleagues.”

“I am grateful to the Board for their trust and look forward to working with René over the coming months to ensure a smooth succession. I would like to commend him for his diligent stewardship on the Board during a period marked by major crises, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions and a worsening geopolitical environment,” said Amparo Moraleda. “My commitment to serving the Company and its shareholders is total. I will work closely with my fellow Board members and the management team to ensure that Airbus is well equipped to address the many challenges and opportunities stemming from the rapid changes in our global environment.”

Cover photo: Amparo Moraleda (source: Maersk)