Guillaume Faury

Guillaume Faury. He is a French aerospace engineer and executive who has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Airbus since April 2019. His career has been defined by leadership roles across major divisions of the European aerospace conglomerate, including the pivotal Airbus Helicopters and the commercial aircraft unit, Airbus SAS. Faury is widely recognized for steering the company through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the competitive dynamics with rival Boeing.

Early life and education

Born in Fontenay-aux-Roses, a suburb of Paris, he demonstrated an early aptitude for engineering. He pursued higher education at the prestigious École Polytechnique, a cornerstone of French scientific education, graduating in 1990. He furthered his specialization by earning an engineering degree from the École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile in 1992, solidifying his path into the aerospace sector. His academic foundation was complemented by a master's degree in fluid mechanics from the Pierre and Marie Curie University.

Career at Airbus

Faury began his professional career in 1993 at Eurocopter, which later became Airbus Helicopters, working as a flight dynamics engineer. He held various engineering and project management positions, contributing to key helicopter programs. In 2008, he was appointed Head of the Programme Division at Airbus Helicopters, overseeing development projects. His trajectory shifted in 2009 when he joined the commercial aircraft business, Airbus SAS, as Senior Vice President for the A350 XWB programme, a critical wide-body aircraft project competing with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He later served as Head of the Aircraft Programme before returning to lead Airbus Helicopters as CEO in 2013.

Leadership at Airbus

As President of Airbus Helicopters from 2013 to 2018, he oversaw the integration of the division following the Airbus Group restructuring and launched new models like the H160. In February 2018, he was appointed President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, succeeding Fabrice Brégier, where he managed the entire single-aisle and wide-body product line. He succeeded Tom Enders as CEO of the entire Airbus SE group in April 2019. His tenure has involved managing the fallout from the Airbus A380 cessation, the corruption settlement with authorities like the French Parquet National Financier, and the severe industry crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key strategic focuses have included the decarbonization roadmap leading to the ZEROe hydrogen aircraft concept and navigating the prolonged difficulties with the Boeing 737 MAX grounding.

Other roles and affiliations

Beyond his executive duties, he serves on the board of the European aerospace industry association ASD-Europe. He is also a member of the International Advisory Board of Alliance Manchester Business School. In France, he contributes to national industrial strategy as a member of the Conseil National de l'Industrie. His expertise is further recognized through his position on the Board of Directors of Dassault Aviation, a significant stakeholder in Airbus.

Personal life

He maintains a relatively private personal life. He is married and has children. An avid aviation enthusiast, he is a licensed helicopter pilot. His interests extend to sports, including sailing and skiing. He is also known to be a proponent of technological innovation and sustainability within the aviation industry.

Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:French aerospace engineers Category:Airbus people Category:Chief executives in the aerospace industry Category:École Polytechnique alumni