Airbus names Gabriel Semelas to lead Airbus in Africa and the Middle East

He returns to Airbus from his current position as Chief Commercial and Financial Officer at Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH in Germany. Prior to that, he led the contracts team for Airbus’ Commercial Aircraft business in Africa and the Middle East.

In his new role, Semelas will be responsible for overseeing Airbus' operations across all the company’s divisions in the Africa and Middle East region, a key area for Airbus strategic development.

Wouter Van Wersch, executive vice president international at Airbus, said: "Gabriel's extensive background in the aeronautical industry, coupled with his proven leadership skills, makes him the ideal candidate to lead Airbus' operations in Africa and the Middle East. We are confident that under his leadership, we will continue to strengthen our presence and partnerships in this strategically important region."

"I am honoured to take on this responsibility at such a pivotal time for Airbus in Africa and the Middle East. I look forward to working with our talented teams and partners to drive growth and innovation in this dynamic market," said Gabriel Semelas.

Gabriel Semelas succeeds Mikail Houari, who has played a crucial role in expanding Airbus’ footprint in the region over the past years.