Robin Hayes, former CEO of JetBlue Airways, has been named to succeed C. Jeffrey Knittel as chairman and CEO of Airbus Americas, effective June 3. Knittel had held the position since 2018. He will remain with the company through a transition period.
Hayes brings 35 years of global aerospace leadership to Airbus, having served in a series of senior executive roles at British Airways over the course of his 19-year tenure there; and JetBlue, where he was CEO for nine years.
From 2020 to 2022, Hayes was chair of the board of governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), where, according to an announcement, he championed the association’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Hayes will report to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury.
Faury said Hayes’ arrival “will enable the company to further deliver on our strategic objectives for the region across all the Airbus businesses and further grow our North American footprint.”
In his new position, Hayes will lead the commercial aircraft business, and will have responsibility for coordination among the company’s helicopter, space and defense businesses in North America. The region has more than 10,000 Airbus employees across 50 sites. Additionally, Airbus spends $15 billion annually, with more than 2,000 US suppliers in over 40 states.
During Knittel’s tenure, according to the announcement, Airbus has grown its presence in the Americas and expanded its industrial and manufacturing footprint, doubling the region’s commercial aircraft deliveries.
Image: Airbus A320 neo/Photo: Franz Massard/Adobe Stock
