Vertical Aerospace appoints former Airbus executive as board chair
Vertical Aerospace is reshaping its leadership as competition intensifies in the electric air taxi sector ahead of planned commercial launches. The company says former Airbus Commercial Aircraft chief executive Fabrice Bregier will chair its board, while its shares rise as much as 5.7% in premarket trading.
Highlights
- Vertical Aerospace appointed former Airbus Commercial Aircraft head Fabrice Bregier as board chair, succeeding interim chair Ben Story on Monday.
- Bregier's experience leading Airbus' A350 program and Palantir Technologies France positions Vertical for its eVTOL certification and operational scale-up.
- Vertical is targeting eVTOL regulatory approval for its four-passenger Valo and hybrid-electric variant while exploring defense markets amid slower commercial timelines.
Board appointment amid eVTOL certification push
As reported by Reuters, Vertical Aerospace said on Monday that it had appointed Fabrice Bregier as chair of its board of directors, with Ben Story staying on as a board member after serving as interim chair since May.Bregier previously led Airbus Commercial Aircraft from 2012 to 2018 and also served as group chief operating officer, where he oversaw the development of the A350 programme and the company's operational turnaround. He most recently was president of Palantir Technologies France from 2018 to 2024.
Industry competition and market implications
The leadership change comes as makers of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft race to secure regulatory approvals before commercial service begins. Vertical is developing Valo, an all-electric four-passenger piloted aircraft, alongside a hybrid-electric variant designed to provide greater range and mission flexibility.Companies in the eVTOL sector are also placing more emphasis on defense opportunities as higher military spending opens another potential market. That shift reflects the longer-than-expected timeline for commercial development across the industry.
Our earlier report on rare-earth shortages in aerospace highlighted how suppliers and research groups are reviving older ceramic turbine-coating formulas to reduce dependence on constrained inputs. It explained that China’s dominance in rare earths is pushing the industry to explore alternatives like zirconium dioxide, but meaningful diversification is still expected to take years.
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