Amparo Moraleda is one of the Spanish executives with the most international experience. As of next October 1, she will assume the presidency of Airbus, becoming the first Spanish woman to hold the highest position on the group's board of directors.
The appointment also breaks with a historical tradition: until now, the position had been reserved for profiles of French or German nationality since the founding of Airbus in 1970.
A career marked by large multinationals
Industrial engineer from ICAI (Comillas Pontifical University), Moraleda built a large part of her career at IBM, where she held various management positions between 1995 and 2009.
Subsequently, she made the leap to the energy sector as an executive at Iberdrola and consolidated her profile in the corporate sphere as a director on large international companies.
In the financial sector, she was vice president of CaixaBank between 2025 and 2026, a position she resigned from before taking on her new challenge at Airbus.
Global experience in key companies
In addition to her time at Airbus as a director, Moraleda has been part of the boards of directors of multinationals such as Vodafone or A.P. Moller-Maersk, one of the largest logistics groups in the world.
This international profile has been key for her election as president of Airbus, at a time marked by geopolitical tensions, industrial challenges, and changes in the global supply chain.
A non-executive position at a key moment for Airbus
Moraleda will replace René Obermann in the presidency of the board, a non-executive position but with great strategic influence within the company.
Its arrival stakes place in a context of transformation for Airbus, which faces great challenges in defense, commercial aviation and technological development.
The weight of Spain within Airbus
The appointment of Moraleda also reflects Spain's growing role within Airbus. The group has important industrial centers in cities such as Getafe, Seville or Albacete, and employs more than 14,000 people in the country.
In addition, Spain participates in key programs such as the development of the European combat air system or the production of NH90 helicopters, reinforcing its position within the group.
A milestone in Spanish business history
The arrival of Amparo Moraleda to the presidency of Airbus represents a double milestone: it breaks the national barrier within the group and consolidates the presence of Spanish female executives at the forefront of global industry.
His appointment comes at a moment of maximum international exposure for Airbus and places Spain at the center of the strategic decisions of one of the world's largest aeronautical manufacturers.