Market Intelligence: North and Central Asia

Aircraft Manufacturer, Airbus, Announces 2025 Appointment for Chief Human Resources Officer

Airbus announced the appointment of Carmen-Maja Rex as Chief Human Resources Officer, effective 1 April 2025. In this role, she will be a member of the Executive Committee and report to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. Carmen-Maja Rex is currently Human Resources Group Director at Heidelberg Materials, one of the world’s largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions.

After nearly 22 years with Airbus, the last 12 of which as Chief Human Resources Officer and member of the Airbus Executive Committee, Thierry Baril will leave the Company later in 2025, after having ensured a smooth transition with his successor.

“The bold transformation that Airbus will now undertake to meet its current and future challenges requires a skilled, diverse and motivated global workforce. I’m looking forward to working with Carmen-Maja and further engaging the Airbus teams in pursuit of our inspiring purpose,” said Guillaume Faury. “In doing so, she will build on the great foundations established by Thierry during his 12-year tenure as Chief Human Resources Officer. Thierry has played a pivotal role in the transformation of Airbus over the years, positioning HR as a strategic function in times of deep change. I’m grateful for Thierry’s engagement, drive and resilience which have led to many Company successes. It has always been a pleasure to have him as a close ally, and I wish him well in this next phase of his professional career.”

Carmen-Maja Rex started her career as a consultant with Accenture in 1999, before joining the United Nations in 2003. In 2010, she started at Siemens where she held a number of leadership roles in Human Resources. In 2020, she became HR Group Director at Heidelberg Materials which employs a global workforce of 51,000 employees located in over 50 countries.

Source: Airbus
Photo Credit: Airbus

Related Posts

Pilot Training Industry Supplier Feature – MPS

In this week’s AFM Pilot Training Leadership Interview Series we speak with Erik Jennes – Chief Commercial Officer at MPS (Multi Pilot Simulations) – a leading manufacturer of flight simulation training devices (including Boeing 737 NG/MAX and Airbus A320 ceo/neo).

The conversation covers:

  • Core Offering: MPS specializes in high-fidelity fixed-base simulators for single-aisle aircraft like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. The company emphasizes “smarter simulators,” integrating advanced training options and using real aircraft components to ensure precision and safety.
  • Global Airline Partnerships: MPS has been expanding its airline customer base, with installations in countries like the U.S., U.K., Panama, and Canada. Notable partnerships include Frontier Airlines, Jet2, Copa Airlines, and Ryanair. This reflects a shift from ATO-focused sales to increasing collaboration with airlines.
  • Trends in Pilot Training: Erik highlighted that there is a growing emphasis on eco-friendly solutions, sustainability in production, and leveraging AI for enhanced simulation environments and objective performance reviews. Additionally, remote learning through VR and AR is becoming a significant trend.
  • Challenges in the Industry: Supply chain issues, high data package costs, and difficulty in finding skilled personnel—both for production and simulator operation—are major challenges. MPS mitigates these with innovative hiring practices, alternative supply options, and focusing on sustainable operations.
  • Future Outlook: Despite temporary slowdowns, long-term pilot demand is expected to rise significantly. MPS remains committed to high-quality FTDs, seeing them as a cost-efficient and effective training tool over full-flight simulators.

For more information:

You can find all of the AFM.aero Pilot Training Industry Interview Episodes here.

To stay up to date and get notified about all of the latest episodes from AFM you can follow us through the below platforms:

Related Posts

Flight School Management Software Provider, Flight Schedule Pro, Appoints 2024 Chief Marketing Officer

USA – Flight Schedule Pro, a software solutions provider specializing in flight training and pilot management, has appointed Bryan Landaburu as its new Chief Marketing Officer. The announcement comes as the company, part of the Mainsail Partners portfolio, focuses on consolidating its recent acquisitions and redefining its market approach.

  • Landaburu brings significant expertise in marketing to support Flight Schedule Pro’s strategic growth initiatives.
  • Flight Schedule Pro has achieved dominant market leadership in the flight training software sector, with over 50% of flight schools and airline cadet programs utilizing its services.
  • Since its acquisition by Mainsail Partners in 2022, the company has expanded its portfolio by acquiring Coradine Aviation, LogTen Pilot Logbook, and Pilotbase.
  • Over 50,000 professional pilots currently log their flights daily using Flight Schedule Pro’s applications.
  • The organization is focused on creating a new, unified category that maximizes the potential of its combined brands, with an emphasis on maintaining pilots as the central figure in its narrative.

Statements:

  • “I am pleased to announce that I recently joined Mainsail Partners portfolio company, Flight Schedule Pro, as their Chief Marketing Officer. This is an exciting opportunity and a great fit for me,” said Bryan Landaburu. “In order for these strategic acquisitions to harmonize and realize their combined potential, we must rewrite the story and construct a new category. Staying true to the roots of our business, pilots will remain the hero of our story.”

Learn more about Flight Schedule Pro or Mr. Landaburu by connecting with him through his LinkedIn profile here.

Source: Bryan Landaburu (Flight Schedule Pro)
Photo Credit: Flight Schedule Pro

Related Posts

World’s Largest ACMI Provider and Aviation Conglomerate, Avia Solutions Group, Reports Revenues up 25% to €2 Billion for 9 Months 2024

Dublin, Ireland – Dublin-based Avia Solutions Group, the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider, which operates a 221 aircraft fleet in total, split between 183 passenger aircraft and 38 freighters, has announced its financial results for the three quarters of this 2024.

The Group’s revenues increased by 25% to €2,06 billion compared to the same period last year, while net profit also rose to €83,3 million from €70,8 million. The group’s EBITDA for the period stands at €406 million, an 29% increase compared to the same period last year.

Over the first 9 months of 2024, the main revenue-generating regions for Avia Solutions Group were Europe (55,1%) and Asia (27,9%). The Americas, Africa, Australia and Pacific Islands represented 11,8%, 2,7%, and 1,2% of revenues respectively.

Avia Solutions Group has an ongoing strategy of investing in bolstering its capacity to meet the continued strong demand from airlines globally for additional aircraft during their peak seasons. The Group completed the acquisition of Australian based Skytrans in the first half of 2024, bringing the total number of air operator certificates held by the Group to 11 and over the third quarter also established its first AOC in Thailand, Thai SmartLynx. The Group is planning to obtain further air operator certificates (AOCs) in Malaysia, Philippines and Brazil by the end of 2025.

Jonas Janukenas, CEO of Avia Solutions Group said: “Expanding into Southeast Asia and other counter cyclical markets represents a pivotal strategic direction for the group. These regions offer significant growth opportunities and enable us to optimize fleet utilization year-round. By leveraging the robust demand in these markets, particularly during Europe’s off-peak winter season, we can effectively balance seasonal variations, ensuring our aircraft remain active and profitable while supporting our global network and customer needs.”

According to Janukenas, the cargo market has proved challenging in 2024 due to overcapacity. However, the Group anticipates increasing activity in the cargo market in 2025.

To further the Group’s business development initiatives, Avia Solutions Group also successfully issued US$300 million of five-year senior unsecured bonds with a coupon of 9,75% in the first half of 2024.

Testament to investor confidence in the Group’s strategy is the increase of group equity capital by €300 million in 2024. This growth in group equity capital relates to US-based Certares Management LLC, a private equity investment firm which invested into Avia in 2021, electing to convert its preferred shares to ordinary shares.

In November, the Group placed its first direct order for 80 Boeing 737 MAX, split between 40 firm and 40 purchases rights. The deliveries will start in 2030.

Avia Solutions Group offers its services to customers including some of the largest airlines in the world. The group operates in 68 countries around the world and consists of 250+ companies providing a wide range of aviation services like aircraft maintenance and repair (MRO), pilot and crew training, ground handling, and more. The group’s team encompasses 14,000 highly qualified aviation professionals.

Source: Avia Solutions Group
Photo Credit: Avia Solutions Group

Related Posts

Pilot Training Industry Supplier Feature – True Course Simulation

In this week’s AFM Pilot Training Leadership Interview Series we speak with Brett Watts  – CEO of True Course Simulations, a simulator manufacturer that specializes in virtual reality flight training.

True Course Simulation offers a simple 3-step learning process that includes a pre-flight briefing, interactive simulations, and visual demonstrations of maneuvers.

The conversation covers:

  • Company Evolution and Offerings: True Course Simulations (TCS) provides comprehensive VR-based flight training solutions that include hardware (immersive training devices), software (courseware), and data management tools. Originally focused on military contracts, the company has expanded to serve civilian flight schools globally, prioritizing innovation and efficiency in pilot training.
  • Global Expansion and Partnerships: TCS has established partnerships with flight training organizations worldwide, including recent device deployments to Nelson Aviation College (New Zealand), Embry-Riddle Asia (Singapore), and Sydney Flight College (Australia).
  • Key Trends in Pilot Training: Brett highlighted the increasing demand for efficiency due to rising costs and instructor shortages. Another trend is the growing adoption of automation and VR to supplement traditional training, reducing stress on students and instructors.
  • Impact on Training and Safety: TCS tools improve safety and efficiency by enabling students to master core skills in simulations before real-world training. This approach reduces cognitive overload and better prepares students for complex multitasking in the cockpit.
  • Mission: TCS stands out by offering an integrated system of VR labs, self-guided learning, and performance analytics. The company aims to empower students with confidence and proficiency while supporting partners in modernizing their training systems.

For more information:

You can find all of the AFM.aero Pilot Training Industry Interview Episodes here.

To stay up to date and get notified about all of the latest episodes from AFM you can follow us through the below platforms:

Related Posts