Airbus Group has announced a major step forward in its ongoing integration by merging its Group structure with its largest division Airbus Commercial Aircraft to form a new entity. The Board of Directors of Airbus Group has given the green light following a proposal by CEO Tom Enders. The decision reflects the fact that the Commercial Aircraft Division is by far the largest contributor to our company’s revenues and financials.

The move follows the July launch of a transformation programme that is heavily focused on digitalisation of the company’s core processes and tools, Tom Enders explained. “It will impact the way the company and its employees will work and the way we organise Airbus in the future. Lean structures and speedy decision-making are prerequisites for the success of digital transformation,” he explained.

Enders declared that the merger would the way for an overhaul of corporate set-up, simplifying governance, eliminating redundancies and supporting further efficiencies, while at the same time driving further integration of the entire Group.

The other two divisions – Defence and Space led by Dirk Hoke and Helicopters led by Guillaume Faury – remain integral parts of the Group and will benefit from more focused business support and reduced costs.

The new entity will be led by CEO Tom Enders. Fabrice Brégier will become Chief Operating Officer (COO) and President Airbus Commercial Aircraft. As COO, Brégier will have group-wide responsibilities, inter alia for reshaping digital operations – the core part of the group’s transformation programme – as well as for global supply chain and quality.

The merger provides the opportunity to introduce a single Airbus brand for the Group and all its entities, effective January 2017