Global aerospace and technology company Vertical Aerospace has appointed former Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO Fabrice Brégier as Chair of its Board of Directors, effective September 21, 2026.
Brégier joins the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) developer as it enters its next phase of growth, focused on the certification and commercialisation of its flagship all-electric Valo aircraft. The appointment coincides with Vertical’s expansion into hybrid-electric propulsion, autonomous systems, and dual-use defence applications.
Bringing over three decades of leadership across commercial aviation, defence, and advanced technology, Brégier previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Commercial Aircraft from 2012 to 2016, Chief Operating Officer of Airbus Group and President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft from 2017 to 2018, and Chief Operating Officer of Airbus from 2006 to 2012, where he directed the A350 programme and led an operational turnaround. His background also includes roles as President & CEO of Eurocopter, CEO of Matra BAe Dynamics and MBDA, and President of Palantir Technologies France from 2018 to 2024. He currently serves as a non-executive director of Safran SA and ENGIE SA, and non-executive Chair of SCOR SE. Ben Story, who led the Board as interim Chair since May, will remain a Board member.
Stuart Simpson, Chief Executive Officer of Vertical Aerospace, said, “We have proven our technology in flight and are now focused on turning that progress into a certified aircraft and a scaled global aerospace business. Few executives have Fabrice’s breadth of experience across the areas that matter most to our future. He has led Airbus and Eurocopter, delivered the A350 and led the integration of Europe’s missile businesses at MBDA, and worked at the forefront of AI and advanced technology with Palantir.
“That experience is particularly relevant as the opportunities for Vertical expand. Alongside certification and commercialisation of Valo, we are developing hybrid-electric and autonomous capabilities, seeing growing interest from defence customers, and building the charging and airspace ecosystem needed to operate electric aircraft at scale. Fabrice’s experience will be enormously valuable as we turn those opportunities into a global aerospace business. I also want to thank Ben Story, who has led the Board as interim Chair since May and who continues as a member of the Board.”
Incoming Chair, Fabrice Brégier, added, “Vertical has reached an exciting point in its journey. The progress the team has made in flight testing demonstrates the maturity of its technology, while its work in hybrid-electric flight, autonomy and defence shows the much broader potential of the platform.
“I have spent much of my career bringing complex aerospace technologies to market, scaling aircraft programmes and building international businesses around them. In my view, Vertical combines exceptional talent, the best product and the most robust strategy to create a category-defining aviation business. I look forward to working with Stuart, the Board and the wider Vertical team as the Company moves towards certification and commercialisation.”
Ben Story, Interim Chair, commented, “Fabrice is one of the most accomplished aerospace leaders of his generation. His firsthand experience leading a global OEM through complex aircraft programmes, industrial transformations and international growth will be highly valuable to Vertical as the Company executes the next phase of development.”
The leadership transition comes amid major technical and operational milestones for Vertical. The company recently expanded its defence and autonomy strategy through a partnership with Near Earth Autonomy to establish a common platform strategy across military and civil sectors. Additionally, Vertical is conducting integration testing on its next-generation hybrid propulsion system, supported by confirmed interest from the UK Ministry of Defence in its hybrid-electric and autonomous flight solutions.
To support fleet deployment and ecosystem infrastructure, Vertical is progressing its proprietary battery technology and leading the UK Government-backed ECLiPSE program to develop next-generation thermal management and charging solutions. To facilitate commercial integration and airspace management, Vertical has joined the Honeywell Aerospace-led Project VERTI-GO program in Europe while continuing active regulatory engagement across six international jurisdictions.
