Airbus Management - Executive Committee member - John Leahy, COO

John Leahy

	John Leahy was appointed Chief Operating Officer – Customers in July 2005, also continuing as Chief Commercial Officer of Airbus, a role he held since August 1994. His responsibilities cover all commercial activities including sales, marketing, contracts, business transaction control, asset management, leasing, and business development, He is also in charge of all Airbus subsidiaries – Airbus North America, Airbus China, Airbus Japan, and Airbus Russia – as well as of all regional sales offices. Mr Leahy is a member of the Airbus Executive Committee (or Management Board). In 1995, when Airbus had an 18% market share, Mr. Leahy set a commercial goal to achieve 50% of the market by the year 2000. Airbus achieved this goal in 1999 and has maintained over 50% market share in five of the following six years. Airbus also has over 50 percent of worldwide aircraft deliveries. Mr. Leahy led the commercial activities that resulted in the successful launch of the new Airbus flagship, the A380-800 passenger aircraft and the A380-800F freighter aircraft. These two new superjumbos now set the standards for very large aircraft in the 21st Century. He is also leading the sales campaigns for the all-new A350-800 and A350-900 twin-engine widebodies. Mr. Leahy worked for seven years in marketing at Piper Aircraft before joining Airbus North America in January 1985. He became head of sales in 1988 and then became President of Airbus North America, where his responsibilities included sales and marketing, as well as sales finance and contracts activities for the important American and Canadian markets. Mr. Leahy was responsible for the penetration of the strategic North American market, where most major US airlines are now Airbus customers. Mr. Leahy has an MBA from Syracuse University with concentration in both Finance and Transportation Management and a BA from Fordham University with a dual major in Communications and Philosophy. He is also a licensed multi-engine commercial pilot and a former flight instructor with more than 3,700 hours of flying time. He was born in New York in August 1950 and is married with three children. His hobbies include, in addition to selling aircraft, sailing and scuba diving.

Airbus Press Department July 2005






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