- 9. Juli 2025
- 4 Min. Lesezeit
EBAA launches organisational reform – EBACE decision postponed
The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) recently announced a series of leadership changes as part of a broader organisational reform initiative aimed at enhancing the association’s effectiveness, responsiveness, and value to its members, in partnership with its national associations. Effective immediately, Holger Krahmer has stepped down from his role as Secretary General. Robert Baltus has recently resigned and will also depart from his position as Chief Operating Officer later this year. Mr. Stefan Benz is appointed as interim Managing Director of the Association, effective today, with a mandate to guide the EBAA through a period of transformation.
Stefan Benz will lead an organisational change programme. This programme will bring a leaner, more agile Association closer to its members’ and its National Associations’ partners. This is necessary during a period where several existential threats are emerging in regulation, resource availability, environmental policy, taxation and access to airspace and airports. Stefan Benz has a solid experience of more than 25 years as an aeronautical engineer in the aviation industry. He worked, among others, for MTU, RUAG Business Aviation, Jet Aviation and Luxaviation.
Following the leadership changes EBAA has postponed an announcement on the future location and dates for its EBACE trade show until the end of July 2025. The EBAA stated that it remains fully committed to ensuring that EBACE continues to evolve in line with the needs of its members, exhibitors and partners.
Air France–KLM moves to become majority owner in SAS
Air France–KLM last week announced that it will initiate proceedings to take a majority stake in SAS, marking a new and strategically important chapter for the Scandinavian carrier and a landmark strategic development in the European aviation landscape. The decision also reflects a broader industry trend toward consolidation— a step that is essential to ensuring long-term competitiveness for European carriers in an increasingly globalized market, SAS stated.
Air France-KLM currently holds a 19.9% stake in the Scandinavian carrier and since the summer of 2024, it has implemented a commercial cooperation between SAS, Air France and KLM in the form of extended codeshare and interline agreements, further strengthened by SAS joining the SkyTeam alliance. Provided all the necessary conditions are met, Air France-KLM would fully acquire the stakes held by Castlelake and Lind Invest, bringing its own stake to 60.5%. The Danish State would retain its 26.4% stake in SAS and its seats on the Board of Directors.
Boeing set to acquire Spirit AeroSystems plant in Northern Ireland
Boeing will acquire Spirit AeroSystems’ Belfast site as part of its planned acquisition of the aerostructures supplier. Spirit AeroSystems was originally just a Boeing factory in Wichita, Kansas, that manufactured Boeing 737 fuselages. Boeing spun off the facility in 2005, and Spirit AeroSystems began expanding, acquiring facilities and entering agreements with other companies such as Airbus and Bombardier. The Belfast plant primarily manufactures wings for the Airbus A220.
In 2024, Boeing agreed to buy back Spirit AeroSystems in a nearly $5 billion all-stock deal, nearly 20 years after spinning it off. The primary motivation was to bring 737 fuselage production back in-house to improve quality control. In April, Airbus finalized a deal to acquire several Spirit AeroSystems facilities tied to its aircraft programs. Boeing is set to take over the non-Airbus portion of Spirit AeroSystems’ operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, after attempts to find a buyer for the site fell through.
People: Brian West to become senior advisor to Boeing President and CEO
Boeing recently announced a transition in its chief financial officer role. Brian West will become a senior advisor to Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg, and Jesus "Jay" Malave has been elected as incoming executive vice president and chief financial officer. Both roles are effective August 15. West, who served as Boeing CFO for the last four years, will continue working with the company in an advisory capacity, including assisting in the upcoming CFO leadership transition.
Today, Brian West leads all aspects of Boeing's financial strategy, performance, reporting and long-range business planning, as well as investor relations, treasury, controller and audit operations. West is a member of the company’s Executive Council. He previously served as chief financial officer of Refinitiv, beginning in 2018. In addition to his work with finance, he also led commercial strategy and policy, sourcing and real estate management, and he oversaw ongoing process improvements across the business. Before Refinitiv, West was chief financial officer and executive vice president of Operations at Oscar Health and before that was chief financial officer and then chief operating officer of Nielsen. Previously, West spent 16 years at General Electric, where he served as chief financial officer of GE Aviation and chief financial officer of GE Engine Services. His additional finance leadership positions in GE businesses encompassed plastics, transportation and energy.
West is a founding board member of LiveGirl, a Connecticut-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to prepare the next generation of diverse female leaders with the skills, community and connections to thrive in the world. West received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Siena College and a Master of Business Administration from the Columbia Business School.
Kommentare