Michael Schoellhorn has been Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airbus Defence and Space since 1 July 2021 and is a member of Airbus’ Executive Committee, responsible for Airbus's defence, space, unmanned air services and connected intelligence activities.
Previously, he was Airbus Chief Operating Officer (COO) and already a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. In this position, he led the production, quality, procurement and information management organisations, transforming and building the production system of the future.
Michael joined Airbus in February 2019 from BSH Home Appliances, where he was COO and a member of the company’s Management Board from 2015 until his departure.
Michael began his career in 1984 in the German armed forces, where he served as an officer and a helicopter pilot until 1994, with assignments in Germany and the US. Michael worked in academia as a research assistant at the Helmut Schmidt University (University of the German armed forces) in Hamburg (1994-1999). He started out his career with Bosch in 1999 and held various senior management positions in the automotive sector in the US, the Czech Republic and Germany before being appointed EVP for Manufacturing and Quality in 2012.
Michael is President of BDLI, the association of the German aviation industry, as well as a member of the BDI (association of the German industry) Presidential Board.
He is the Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, member of the Board of Directors of Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Inc. and member of VOITH’s shareholder committee.
He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Control Engineering, both from the Helmut Schmidt University.
