CityAirbus. Photo courtesy of A3
It is the opinion of many that the aerospace industry is currently going through an exciting, transformational period. Research efforts are taking shape quickly, bringing the general public closer to making concepts like urban air mobility and electric aircraft realities. Airbus has been a front-runner in this movement toward future aircraft, with CTO Paul Eremenko, founding CEO of outpost A3, as a leader. Yesterday, he announced his intention to leave the company.
UTC said, and Airbus confirmed, that Jan. 1, 2018, Eremenko is set to become the SVP and CTO of UTC. In this position, he would succeed J. Michael McQuade, who plans to retire next year. Airbus Digital Transformation Officer Marc Fontaine would become acting CTO for the French airframer. Airbus said it expects to announce a permanent Eremenko replacement “in the near future.”
In a statement of his own, posted on his Twitter account, Eremenko explained that he made the decision to pursue a more desirable work-life balance.
“I will look fondly on my time at Airbus,” he wrote. “However, the geographic span and setup of my role placed a tremendous burden on my family and personal life. And in the end, life is short and we must optimize for happiness. Consequently, I’ve made the difficult decision to depart Airbus at the end of this year.”