In the world of air travel, there are two titans battling it out for supremacy. Located on either side of the Atlantic, rival aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus have always been open and rather candid about their ongoing fight for a greater share of the skies. In an interview with CNBC at the end of last year, Fabrice Brégier, President and CEO of Airbus, explained how competition with Boeing was indeed “fierce”, but then simultaneously attempted to play the rivalry down, saying: “We are not focused on that. Clearly, we have already more than 1,000 net [orders] this year, after a record year last year. We will be number one, or very close to number one.”

However, to say that he and the company that he leads are unconcerned with the performance of Boeing does not ring true. When there are only two real runners in a race, one is always looking over its shoulder, while the other is always hot on their heels. In fact, Airbus has come close to overtaking Boeing a couple of times, and even claimed to have accomplished the feat a few years ago, after it managed to achieve record sales and deliveries of aircraft. Sadly, Airbus was only able to best the competition for a brief period of time, and Boeing soon regained the title of king of the skies.

One thing, however, is clear, and that is that without the stewardship of Brégier, Airbus could have never made the substantial gains that it has, and if the company is ever to become number one, it will surely be under his leadership.

Learning to fly
Brégier was appointed CEO of the aircraft manufacturer back in June 2012, but he began his working life far away from the bustle of busy airports and the noise of jet engines. In 1983, he took a job as a test engineer at the Creys-Malville nuclear power station. He would not stay there long, however, and within a year he had swapped engineering for a managerial role within the sales department at the major aluminium conglomerate Péchiney in Japan. Two years later, he took a civil service role with France’s DREAL (Ministry of Industry) Alsace. In just a few years, the experience he gained there would propel him into his first major role.

In 1989, he rose to become director of economic and financial affairs within the Ministry of Agriculture. It would be here that Brégier would gain the skills and contacts that would help steer him down the path of aviation, to eventually head up one of the biggest names in aircraft manufacturing. According to his biography, after having served as an advisor to several French ministers, Brégier joined the defence company Matra Défense in 1993, as chairman and principal overseer of two massive projects: the development of the Apache MAW GIE helicopter and a surveillance drone project.

It was with this company that Brégier found his calling, and where he would gain not only the necessary leadership experience, but also the aviation expertise to lead the second-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world. Brégier was joined Airbus as chief operating officer in October 2006. He was personally asked by Louis Gallois, the then-CEO of EADS (the pre-2014 name for Airbus Group), to enhance the operational performance of the entire group.

Beating Boeing
Not only did Brégier improve the performance of the entire group, but, during his time at Airbus, he has presided over the development of one of the world’s biggest and best airliners: the A350.

Built and billed as the natural competitor to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, which arrived in 2011, the A350 will play a decisive role, not only in the future of Airbus, but also in Brégier’s mission (admitted or not) to usurp Boeing as the world’s top aircraft manufacturer.

Qatar Airways earlier this year chose to purchase 80 A350 XWB units (the wide-body version), and many more airlines are likely to want it among their fleet, with the plane boasting great fuel economy, requiring 25 percent less than similar aircraft in the market at the moment. In fact, the new A350 XWB has already been touching down in airports worldwide as part of a demo tour, with Brégier hoping it will pique the interest of investors and bring in even more orders. At the time of writing, the newest aircraft in the world is in the middle of its Americas demo tour, and has flown to Atlanta to kick off proceedings.

“While it is in Atlanta, Delta Airlines employees will tour the aircraft, familiarising themselves with its layout and features”, Airbus explained in a statement. “For many of them, it will be their first opportunity to get a closer look at what will become the newest member of the fleet in 2017, when Delta accepts the first delivery of its 25 A350 XWBs.”

The aircraft’s success with airlines like Delta is not just down to its improved efficiency, but because it can hold even more passengers, and manages to balance style and comfort in equal measure. To help promote the aircraft further, the Airbus CEO jumped aboard during a test flight over the south-west of France recently, and expressed his excitement: “I am immensely proud to have flown on board the A350 XWB, our latest technology marvel”, said Brégier. “The aircraft is a very smooth ride and I was particularly impressed by the maturity of the aircraft at such an early stage in its life. The new cockpit layouts, with the large screens and head-up display, are amazing and I am confident that pilots are going to love being behind the controls of this machine.”

Quick reactions
Not one to shy away from the media, or from using his position within the aviation sector to shape the future of the industry, the Airbus CEO was quick to weigh in on the Germanwings plane crash, in which a suicidal co-pilot intentionally flew an Airbus A320 into the French Alps, killing all 144 passengers on board, along with six crew members.

In the aftermath of the tragic incident, the German air traffic control firm, Deutsche Flugsicherung, mentioned that it had begun developing a failsafe system that was capable of taking control of any plane and steering it to a safe landing, therefore decreasing the chances of such an incident repeating itself.

However, Brégier expressed concerns over such a plan, telling reporters that the industry should be wary of taking extreme action so soon after the event. “Having pilots in the loop will still have a critical role in assuring aircraft security”, he explained in an interview.

Not only that, but after the incident, he announced that Airbus had already begun modifying existing aircraft so that on-board sensors would be less at risk of malfunction in the future. In fact, improvements in aircraft safety have always been at the front of the CEO’s mind and, under his leadership, Airbus recently completed its Runway Overrun Prevention System (ROPS) technology for its A330 aircraft, which will reduce the chances of overrun.

“Already in service on the A380, A350 and A320 families, ROPS is the result of years of continuing research by Airbus”, said Didier Lux, Airbus’ Head of Customer Services, in a statement. “This EASA certification for ROPS on the A330 family is an example where innovative technology and services meet for the benefit of operators and aviation safety, and is thus an important step to offering enhanced operational benefits across all our aircraft.”

Bright future
The Germanwings saga might be an extreme example, but it serves to highlight Brégier’s position within the aviation industry and shows his deep understanding of the sector. It is this expertise that has allowed him to make pragmatic decisions that have ensured Airbus remains a strong competitor in the market and is able to adjust to fluctuations within it.

Most notably, he managed to secure a deal that will provide security to the business over the long term, with the Tianjin Free Trade Zone Investment Company (TJFTZ) and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The agreement that he brokered will provide Airbus with an inroad into China, which has a strong economy and a burgeoning tourism sector that will be hugely beneficial to the European aircraft manufacturer.

“Building on our successful cooperation with China, highlighted by the A320 family final assembly line in Tianjin, our partnership keeps growing and expanding”, observed Brégier. “The signature of this framework agreement on the A330 completion and delivery centre will open a new chapter of strategic cooperation on wide-body aircraft with China. Together, we will develop new facilities and capabilities, and attract new suppliers and businesses in China”, added the Airbus CEO.

The agreement with TJFTZ and AVIC will allow Airbus to build a second assembly plant in Tianjin, which is only the second of its kind to be found outside of Europe. According to a recent press release, the site will be located near to an existing Airbus assembly line. The press release added: “[The site] is expected to employ approximately 250 people and will cover such activities as aircraft reception, cabin installation, painting, engine runs and flight testing, as well as aircraft delivery and customer acceptance. As a truly global company, the new completion and delivery centre will boost Airbus’ operations around the world – bringing the company closer to customers in a key aviation market to generate more business, which benefits Airbus’ production and assembly sites in Europe.”

Success in China, as is the case for many industries nowadays, will determine the trajectory that Airbus takes in the years to come. Indeed, a positive future there is absolutely essential if Brégier and the company that he presides over are ever going to overtake Boeing and claim the number one spot in aviation. For the moment, however, the CEO will be putting all of his efforts behind the new A350, and will be hoping that the remaining demonstrations will impress investors and airlines alike.