Noël Forgeard recognised as “Innovator of the Year” during the “European Business Leaders Awards” Ceremony
Amsterdam, 24 March 2006
Noël Forgeard, CEO of EADS, was named “Innovator of the Year” during the 2006 European Business Leaders Awards ceremony in London, organised by CNBC Europe.
Noël Forgeard was elected by previous years winners and Dow Jones Stoxx 600 CEOs for the “breath of innovation he had blown” into Airbus during his presidency. Under his direction, Airbus became the leader in commercial aviation and launched a new aircraft generation: a success crowned by the launch of the A380 and the A350 project in 2005.
Noël Forgeard said: “I am very proud to have received this award. I wish to dedicate it to all the Airbus teams who contributed to this success with their talent, their energy and their ardent determination. This award recognises our courage. We dared to launch the ‘giant of the skies’, which has now become the European symbol of innovation. For us industrialists, innovation is a determining factor. It is essential to prepare for the future and we must remain ahead of technological revolutions if we are to keep our place at the top.”
Noël Forgeard, EADS CEO since June 2005, joined Airbus on the 1st of April 1998; he became the first president and CEO of the fully integrated single company Airbus in July 2001. He had previously spent 12 years with the Lagardère group. He holds a Polytechnic degree, and is ‘Officier de la Légion d’Honneur’, ‘Officier de l’Ordre du Mérite’ and was named Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Elizabeth II, Queen of England.
About EADS:
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004, EADS generated revenues of € 31.8 billion and employed a workforce of about 110,000. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the leading international missile producer in the global market. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
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