The Spanish engineer Amparo Moraleda has been appointed president of Airbus, an appointment that marks a milestone in the history of the European aeronautical giant. She will be the first woman to hold the position and, furthermore, the first person not from France or Germany to lead the company.
The decision has been adopted by the group's board of shareholders, which has agreed that Moraleda will assume the presidency starting next October 1, in a move that reinforces the international character of one of Europe's largest industrial companies.
A trajectory marked by large multinationals
Moraleda, an industrial engineer from the Comillas Pontifical University, also holds a General Management Program (PDG) from IESE, and has an extensive career in high-responsibility positions in the private sector.
Before her arrival at the pinnacle of Airbus, she was president of IBM Spain and subsequently directed international operations at Iberdrola, in addition to holding relevant positions on the boards of directors of large Spanish companies such as CaixaBank.
Her link with Airbus is not new: in 2015 she was named director of the company, a position that now culminates with her ascent to the presidency of the group.
An appointment with symbolic weight in the European industry
The appointment of Moraleda not only represents a change in the executive leadership of Airbus, but also a gesture of openness in a sector historically dominated by Franco-German leaderships.
The aeronautical group, one of the main manufacturers in the world, thus strengthens its global profile at a key moment for the industry, marked by international competition, technological transition and the challenges of European defense.
With this move, Moraleda assumes the leadership of a strategic company for the economy and industrial security of the continent, consolidating a career that has passed through some of the main business decision centers in Europe.
Her arrival to the presidency of Airbus also represents a milestone of female representation in the senior management of the aerospace industry, one of the most influential sectors in the world.