Airbus shareholders approved all resolutions at the 2026 Annual General Meeting in Amsterdam, designating Lead Independent Director Amparo Moraleda to succeed René Obermann as Chair of the Board effective 1 October 2026. This move marks a historic shift, with the Spanish executive becoming the first non-French or German national to lead the board of the European aerospace giant.
Obermann, who has held the position since prior to 2026, will step down on the specified date after the board’s nomination of Moraleda. The transition ensures leadership continuity amid Airbus’s ongoing operations in commercial aviation, defense, and space sectors.
Moraleda, already a key figure as Lead Independent Director, brings extensive experience from her prior roles, including executive positions at IBM and Telefónica. Her appointment breaks longstanding Franco-German dominance at the top, potentially signaling broader European integration in governance.
The AGM, held on 14 April 2026, also greenlit a 2025 dividend of €3.20 per share and confirmed other board mandates, supporting strategic stability for Airbus’s order backlog and production ramp-ups.