Airbus has announced the appointment of Patrick de Castelbajac (photo) as Company Secretary and Chief of Staff; effective from November 1st.

Patrick de Castelbajac is currently Chief Executive Officer of ATR, a joint venture between Airbus Group and Italy’s Leonardo-Finmeccanica.

“As former Head of ATR, Patrick is rejoining Airbus bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience. His appointment will provide valuable expertise to Airbus in the current transformation of our company,” said Fabrice Brégier, President and CEO of Airbus.

In his new role, Patrick will report to Fabrice Brégier and becomes member of the Airbus Executive Committee.

Patrick de Castelbajac began his career in 1997 in the aeronautical industry at MBDA before spending three years with Baker & McKenzie as a lawyer and member of the Paris Bar. Patrick joined Airbus in 2002 as Vice-President Legal Affairs for Purchasing and Intellectual Property, later being appointed Director of Commercial Contract Negotiations. In June 2014, he was nominated Chief Executive Officer of ATR.

Patrick de Castelbajac formerly was an attorney in front of the Paris Court of Appeal. He has a DESS (advanced post-graduate diploma) in Business and Tax Law from the University of Bordeaux, and a DEA (master's degree) in Comparative Law from the Sorbonne University, Paris II.