Guillaume Faury
"We want to take our share to 0 per cent by 2050. I am absolutely convinced that aviation is a force for good for humanity."
— Guillaume Faury[2]
Overview
Guillaume Faury | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1968 (age 57–58) Cherbourg, France |
| Education | École Polytechnique SUPAERO |
| Occupation(s) | Business executive, Engineer |
| Employer | Airbus |
| Known for | Leading Airbus through COVID-19, hydrogen aircraft initiative |
| Title | Chief Executive Officer |
| Term | April 2019 – present |
| Predecessor | Tom Enders |
| Board member of | AXA, GIFAS, ASD |
| Spouse | Married |
| Children | 3 |
✈️ Guillaume Faury (born 1968) is a French engineering executive who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Airbus, a role he has held since April 2019. An aerospace engineer by training and a qualified flight test engineer, Faury has spent the majority of his career within the European aerospace sector, specifically in its helicopter division, before ascending to lead the world's largest commercial aircraft manufacturer. His tenure has been defined by navigating the unprecedented industry collapse caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, settling major legal disputes, and steering the company toward an aggressive decarbonization strategy centered on hydrogen propulsion.
Early Life and Education
🎓 Foundations. Born in the port city of Cherbourg, Normandy, in 1968, Faury developed an early fascination with aviation that would define his professional trajectory.[3] He distinguished himself academically, gaining admission to the École Polytechnique in Paris, where he graduated in 1990. Following this, he attended the prestigious SUPAERO (École Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace) in Toulouse, cementing a rigorous engineering background.[3] Crucially, Faury's engagement with aviation extended beyond the classroom; he obtained a pilot's license as a young man and remains a qualified light-aircraft pilot and helicopter flight-test engineer with over 1,300 flight hours. This hands-on technical proficiency provided him with a visceral understanding of the machinery he would later manage.[4]
Career
🚁 Rotorcraft roots. Faury began his professional life in 1992 at the French defense procurement agency (DGA), working as a flight-test engineer on the Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter program. This role immersed him in the practical realities of flight testing and troubleshooting complex rotorcraft.[3] In 1998, he transitioned to Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters), where he rapidly ascended through the ranks of engineering and program management. Over the next decade, he served as Executive Vice President for Programs and R&D, earning a reputation for technical meticulousness and the ability to resolve thorny engineering challenges.[3]
🚗 Automotive pivot. In a significant career diversion, Faury left the aerospace sector in 2009 to join the automotive industry. He served as Executive Vice-President for R&D at Peugeot for four years. This period exposed him to the high-volume, cost-sensitive manufacturing environment of the auto world, where he oversaw advancements in hybrid engine technology and product line overhauls.[3] This experience broadened his management toolkit, providing lessons in industrial efficiency that would later prove vital upon his return to aerospace.
🔄 Helicopter turnaround. Faury returned to Airbus in 2013, assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Helicopters. Inheriting a division facing economic headwinds, he initiated a major restructuring of the manufacturing system and championed the development of the H160 helicopter. His leadership stabilized the division's finances and modernized its product offerings, success that positioned him as a leading candidate for broader group leadership.[5] In February 2018, he was promoted to President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, where he managed the production ramp-up of jetliners and the integration of the newly acquired A220 program.[6]
CEO Tenure
👔 Top command. In April 2019, Faury formally succeeded Tom Enders as CEO of Airbus. He took the helm at a moment when Airbus had surpassed its American rival Boeing in orders and deliveries, becoming the world's largest plane-maker.[7] His initial mandate focused on digitizing the company's industrial base and solidifying its market lead. However, his strategy was quickly tested by global events.
🦠 Pandemic crisis. Barely a year into his tenure, the COVID-19 pandemic grounded global aviation. Faury was forced to implement drastic survival measures, including cutting production rates by roughly 40% and announcing 15,000 job cuts worldwide to preserve liquidity.[8] Despite political pressure and union opposition, Faury maintained that the cuts were existential necessities. His decisive handling of the crisis allowed Airbus to emerge with its balance sheet largely intact, and he later oversaw the rehiring of staff as demand rebounded.
🌱 Sustainability vision. A hallmark of Faury's leadership has been a commitment to decarbonization. He has pledged that Airbus will bring a zero-emission hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft to market by 2035.[9] Positioning aviation as "an irreplaceable force for good," he has argued that the industry's future depends on technological breakthroughs rather than flight shaming.[9] This strategy involves significant R&D investment in hydrogen infrastructure and propulsion, differentiating Airbus's long-term roadmap from its competitors.
⚔️ Legal disputes. Faury also inherited and managed significant legal and reputational challenges. Early in his tenure, Airbus agreed to a record €3.6 billion settlement to resolve historic bribery investigations, allowing the company to move past legacy corruption issues.[10] More recently, he navigated a bitter, high-profile legal dispute with Qatar Airways over surface degradation on A350 aircraft. While the conflict involved billions in counter-claims and the cancellation of jet orders, Faury ultimately steered the parties toward an amicable settlement in February 2023, restoring business relations with the key Gulf carrier.[11]
Financials and Governance
💶 Compensation profile. Faury's remuneration follows European corporate norms, which generally lag behind the pay packages of US aerospace executives. In 2020, he earned a total of approximately €3.7 million, a figure that included his base salary and bonuses.[12] Notably, he donated his 2019 bonus to humanitarian organizations as a gesture of solidarity during the pandemic's onset.[12] By 2023, his total compensation remained under €6 million, significantly lower than the compensation of the CEO of Boeing.[13] He holds a minor personal stake in the company, owning approximately 0.003% of Airbus shares.[5]
🏛️ Board roles. Beyond his executive duties, Faury is an active figure in European corporate governance. In April 2021, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of AXA, a major multinational insurance firm.[5] He also holds leadership positions in key industry associations, serving as President of GIFAS (the French aerospace industries association) and ASD (Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe), where he advocates for European industrial sovereignty and defense cooperation.
Personal Life
🏠 Private sphere. Faury maintains a low public profile outside of his professional obligations. He is married and has three children.[3] Colleagues describe him as "straightforward" and grounded, traits reflecting his engineering background.[4] His primary recreation remains aviation; he continues to pilot light aircraft and helicopters in his spare time, occasionally even flying Airbus products during test campaigns to maintain a direct connection to the company's technology.
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References
- ↑ "Airbus chief defends aviation as a force for good". Aviation News Online.
- ↑ "WGS Dubai 2024: Boeing 737 MAX9 incident on Alaska Air humbled us too, says Airbus CEO". Gulf News.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Guillaume Faury". Airbus. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Airbus Board of Directors Selects Guillaume Faury Future Chief Executive Officer". Airbus. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Airbus SE (AIR) Leadership & Management Team Analysis". Simply Wall St. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ "Guillaume Faury Airbus". Backup Education. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ "Competition between Airbus and Boeing". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ "Airbus to cut 15,000 jobs to survive coronavirus crisis". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Airbus Chief Defends Aviation As A Force For Good". Aviation News Online. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ "Airbus agrees deal on bribery investigations in UK, US and France". The Guardian. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ "Qatar Airways and Airbus reach amicable settlement in legal dispute". Airbus. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Airbus CEO Took Home $3.7 Million in 2020, Board Report Says". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ↑ "Pontifications: Boeing "transparency"-not so much". Leeham News and Analysis. Retrieved 2025-11-22.