Airbus has appointed Philippe Mhun, 56, as chief programmes and services officer for Airbus Commercial Aircraft.
He will take up the role in January.
Mhun, currently head of customer services at Airbus, will succeed executive vice president, head of programmes, Didier Evrard, 65, who retires around the turn of the year after 41 years associated with Airbus, 20 of those in top management positions.
“Supporting our customers with the most compelling product family while offering tailored services for their fleet – this is at the heart of Airbus and Philippe Mhun,” said Guillaume Faury, president Airbus Commercial Aircraft.
“With Philippe we are pleased to see those winning competences so nicely combined.
“His outstanding airline experience and customer mindset, his significant industrial and services expertise will surely provide a strong foundation for his future leadership.”
Evrard has been responsible for all of Airbus’ commercial aircraft programmes since 2015 and prior to this he led the A350 XWB programme from 2007.
He started his career in 1977 as a test engineer for Matra.
“Didier Evrard is the programme manager par excellence,” said Tom Enders, Airbus chief executive.
“It is largely thanks to his meticulous programme management skills and dogged determination that the A350 XWB, affectionately known as mission impossible in its early stages of development, has today become the widebody of choice for 45 of the world’s leading airlines, entering service in 2015 at an unmatched level of maturity in our industry.”
Mhun will report to Guillaume Faury, who is due to succeed Tom Enders as Airbus chief executive following the Airbus annual general meeting in April.
He will also become a member of the Airbus Executive Committee.