Vertical Aerospace has appointed Fabrice Brégier, the former chief executive of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, as chair of its board with immediate effect. The London- and New York-listed eVTOL developer said Ben Story will remain on the board after stepping down as interim chair, as the company continues work on the commercialisation of its Valo aircraft and broader defence and autonomous aviation plans.
The board expanded from eight to nine members alongside the leadership change. Brégier brings more than three decades of aerospace and defence experience, including senior roles at Airbus, Eurocopter, MBDA and Palantir Technologies France. He also currently serves on the boards of Safran and ENGIE, and chairs SCOR. Vertical’s move adds a high-profile industry figure to its governance as it pursues certification and market entry for Valo.