New Position Is Effective December 1

Airbus Defense and Space has appointed Barbara Bergmeier, 50, as Head of Operations and Member of the Executive Committee, effective December 1, 2018. She succeeds André-Hubert Roussel, 53, who will become Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ArianeGroup, a 50-50 joint venture between Airbus and Safran, effective January 1, 2019.

“I am happy that Barbara Bergmeier(pictured) joins us at this exciting time for Airbus Defense and Space. Barbara is a seasoned leader in complex industrial ecosystems. She brings extensive experience in Manufacturing-Operations, Digital Transformation, Supply Chain Management, Production Restructuring, Design and Set-up of assembly lines and a strong international background – all assets which are of paramount importance for the further implementation of our growth strategy in the coming years,” said Dirk Hoke, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space.

Barbara Bergmeier joins Airbus Defense and Space from Vilsbiburg, Germany-based Dräxlmaier Group, where she has been Chief Operating Officer and an Executive Board Member since 2014. In that capacity, she has been in charge of 50 production sites in 20 countries and has been instrumental in expanding the company’s industrial footprint in Asia and in the Americas.

Before joining Dräxlmaier Group in 2014, Barbara Bergmeier worked at automotive company BMW Group where she held various senior management positions from 1990. Among others, she was Senior Vice President HR Management/Services at the company’s headquarters in Munich, Vice President Chassis & Drive Components in Dingolfing, Germany and Vice President Assembly and Logistics at BMW’s Spartanburg plant in the U.S. Bergmeier holds a degree in business administration from the University of Applied Sciences in Landshut, Germany.

Roussel, 53 (pictured), will succeed Alain Charmeau, 62, as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ArianeGroup. Charmeau, an accomplished executive in the aerospace industry, will retire in 2019. A veteran of Airbus, he previously led programs for the company such as Ariane 5, the Automated Transfer Vehicle, the Columbus science laboratory for the International Space Station and the French deterrence missile activities. Since 2015, Charmeau has been at the helm of ArianeGroup, a 50-50 joint venture between Airbus and Safran, and has successfully integrated Europe’s space launcher powerhouse.

“Alain has done a tremendous job at ArianeGroup and before at Airbus and Aerospatiale. Since almost 40 years he has contributed much to the success of our defence and space programs. With this succession, we bid farewell to a great colleague and one of Europe’s preeminent space industry leaders. Alain is not easy to replace but I am convinced André-Hubert with his impressive space and operations experience is the perfect choice to take ArianeGroup to the next level”, said Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus.

“I would like to thank Alain Charmeau most sincerely for his work since the creation of ArianeGroup more than three years ago, both in reorganising the European launchers sector in order to increase competitiveness and efficiency during the development of Ariane 6, and also within the defence sector. We have complete confidence in André-Hubert Roussel to continue this exciting task, which will enable Europe to retain its independent access to space, and for which the support of ESA and the European nations, as well as the national space agencies, is also essential," said Philippe Petitcolin, CEO of Safran.

(Images provided with Airbus news releases)

FMI: www.airbus.com