Amsterdam, 17 May 2002
The Board of EADS unanimously decided on Friday in Amsterdam to accept the resignation of Alberto Fernández (53) and to release him from all his functions in EADS. Alberto Fernandez has been Executive Vice President and Head of EADS Military Transport Aircraft Division, President of EADS CASA and Member of the Executive Committee of EADS. On April 15, Alberto Fernández had already resigned from his duty as Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Military.
Francisco Fernández Sáinz (56) has been appointed to follow Mr Fernández as member of the Executive Committee of EADS, Head of the Military Transport Aircraft Division and President of EADS CASA.
The Board of EADS also proposes to the shareholders of Airbus Military, on the recommendation of the President of Airbus, to appoint Francisco Fernandez Sáinz as the President of Airbus Military. Airbus Military is the management company for the European military transport aircraft programme A400M. With 63.8% and 25.5% respectively, Airbus and EADS are the biggest shareholder of Airbus Military.
Francisco Fernández Sáinz, will take up his new duties immediately. He has an advanced degree in aeronautical engineering and a Master of Business Administration. Working for CASA since 1971, he has had a long career in different managerial positions. His latest position has been head of Airbus Spain and Member of the Airbus Executive Committee. He is married and has two children.
The A400M programme will be managed by Airbus Military. The development of this aircraft will take place in Toulouse and Madrid, under management of Airbus, combining the excellent Spanish experience in manufacturing military transport aircraft with the civil expertise of Airbus. The final assembly and the delivery centre for A400M will be the Seville plant of Military Transport Aircraft Division/EADS CASA.
The CEOs of EADS, Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich, expressed their thanks to Alberto Fernández for developing CASA as the leading Spanish aerospace company. Camus and Hertrich said, they are looking forward to working with Francisco Fernández Sáinz in bringing the A400M project to its fruition. Francisco Fernández Sáinz has worked very close with Alberto Fernández for many years and will continue the work he began. By sharing responsibilities in Military Transport Aircraft Division of EADS and Airbus Military he will ensure the best synergies in the programme, and its success.
"A400M is the most wide-ranging joint European defence programme", added the CEOs. "Eight nations are committed to order 196 aircraft. By using Airbus' civil aircraft manufacturing experience and the military capabilities of EADS CASA, we are able to offer modern technologies at a reasonable price to our customers.
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