Airbus appoints Eric Kirstetter as exec vp Strategy

Airbus

Airbus has appointed Eric Kirstetter as executive vice president Strategy, effective from May 18th. He will succeed Matthieu Louvot, who last month took up his new role of CEO Airbus Helicopters. Kirstetter joins the manufacturer from global strategy consulting firm Roland Berger and will report to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. “Eric is joining Airbus at a critical juncture for the company, as we work to secure a trajectory of sustained growth, bold innovation and positive societal impact,” said Faury.

“His experience across a variety of industry sectors, including aerospace and defence, will be key to help us turn global geopolitical and technological changes into strategic opportunities and to implement our long-term roadmap.”

Kirstetter brings wide experience of growth strategy and transformation gathered in a range of industries including: aerospace, automotive and defence, according to Airbus. He is said to have supported leading clients in Asia, Europe and the US in making strategic decisions, running transformations, closing M&A deals and scaling innovation.

Holding a degree in Mechanical Engineering from ISAE-Supméca and a Master’s Degree in International Industrial Management from HEC Paris, Kirstetter served for 17 years at international management consulting firm Arthur D. Little, prior to joining Roland Berger’s Paris office in 2017.

Meanwhile,  earlier this week Airbus Helicopters reported flat year-over-year revenue growth in the first quarter of 2026 posting €1.6bn despite delivering five more helicopters during the quarter. Of this, nearly 51% or €818.04m came from the civilian segment. The company delivered 56 helicopters during the first three months of 2026 compared with 51 in the same period of last year.