Lars Wagner to become Airbus chief of commercial aircraft unit from January 2026
The chief executive of engine parts maker MTU Aero Engines will replace 40-year Airbus veteran Christian Scherer.
Mr Wagner will join Airbus from the beginning of November this year to 'ensure a smooth transition' with Mr Scherer, Airbus said on Thursday.
Mr Scherer will remain the chief of the commercial aircraft unit until December 31, topping a career spanning more than 40 years in several executive roles with Airbus, the company said.
Mr Wagner, 50, has held the position of chief executive of Munich-based MTU Aero Engines since January 2023.
Before his appointment as chief executive, and since joining MTU in 2015, Mr Wagner took on the roles of chief operating officer and executive vice president in charge of manufacturing operations.
He held a number of management positions at Airbus including in Bremen, Hamburg and Toulouse. Mr Wagner rejoins the company after working there from December 2003 to June 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. He holds a degree in mechanical and aeronautical engineering as well as an MBA.
The decision to replace Mr Scherer, 62, is guided by succession planning, Guillaume Faury, Airbus chief executive, said in a media call in October 2024, according to Bloomberg.
The European plane maker in June delivered 63 aircraft and recorded 203 gross orders, which included some of the commitments it won at the Paris Air Show last month. Year-to-date deliveries until June reached 306 handovers to 65 customers.
Airbus is struggling to reach its production targets as it struggles with engine shortages and other supplier bottlenecks.
The European manufacturer also faces uncertainty as US tariffs are set to hit the EU bloc's exports as soon as August 1.
Meanwhile its US arch-rival Boeing delivered 60 aircraft in June, its best level in 18 months, putting it level with Airbus. Boeing's June delivery performance reflects improvements in its factories and resuming of US aircraft exports to China.
In the year to June, Boeing delivered 280 commercial planes and in the second quarter delivered 150 aircraft, it said in a July 8 statement.
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