Airbus appoints Eid Al Qahtani as head of new Riyadh headquarters

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Airbus appoints Eid Al Qahtani as head of new Riyadh headquarters

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By Sky Industry News

Dec 4, 2024

Airbus has announced the appointment of Eid Al Qahtani as the head of its new regional headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Al Qahtani brings over 20 years of leadership experience, including a previous role as Head of Operations for Airbus Helicopters in Riyadh. His appointment is expected to support business growth in the region.

"I am honored to be leading Airbus from our new Riyadh Headquarters and look forward to further consolidating Airbus’ presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is a most strategic market for us," said Al Qahtani. "Our aim is to continue supporting Saudi Arabia’s long-term goals, whilst inspiring the next generation of Saudi leaders in the aerospace sector."

Currently, Airbus employs more than 350 people in Saudi Arabia, with 30% being Saudi nationals and others from over 30 different nationalities.

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Saudi Arabia is investing heavily as part of its Vision 2030 plan to expand air connectivity to over 250 destinations. The country plans to launch a new airline called Riyadh Air and could invest up to $100 billion in aviation infrastructure. Partnerships with companies like Airbus are crucial for these ambitions.

In January 2024, Airbus signed an Industrial Participation agreement with the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) aimed at growing the industrial ecosystem aligned with Vision 2030. This includes technology transfer and expertise sharing with local companies such as SAAMS (SAMI Airbus Aircraft Maintenance Services), a joint venture between Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and Airbus.

Riyadh isn't the only location where Airbus has expanded recently. In October, it opened its India and South Asia Headquarters at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. This facility will serve as a hub for operations across Commercial Aircraft, Helicopters, and Defence and Space units.

India remains a key market for Airbus due to major customers like IndiGo and Air India. The company procures more than one billion euros annually from India's supply chain for components and services, supporting over 15,000 jobs.