On the Record with
RAINER HERTRICH, JOINT CEO-ELECT, EUROPEAN AERONAUTIC DEFENCE AND SPACE COMPANY (EADS)

EADS CEO-elect Rainer Hertrich is visiting Asian Aerospace to promote the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company in the region. He shared the following insights with Show News.

There will be a German and a French Chairman of the Board, and a German and a French CEO heading the Executive Committee.

The Defence and Aeronautics business units will be headed by German executives, the Space and Airbus business units by French executives, and the Military Transport Aircraft business unit by a Spaniard.

Corporate Strategy will be managed from the French side and Corporate Finance from the German side. But in the long term, we wish to dispense with proportional representation of the nations.

What will EADS look like in five years' time?
Our target is clear. We are aiming to be one of the most profitable aerospace companies in the world, a company that offers top-line technology in all the world's markets and gives its customers value for money. EADS will be more than a simple amalgamation of Dasa, Aerospatiale Matra and CASA, and it will enter into partnerships with other companies from all around the world.

EADS wants to increase its business in the US. How will it do this?
The best way of recommending oneself as a partner in America is to be successful. Airbus shows just how successful European companies can be in the USA. The same applies to helicopters from Eurocopter, and American customers also take advantage of the Ariane launcher's capabilities. We will do everything to maintain and even extend our market lead in these areas. However, the market for defense technology can only be opened up by the US government making a decision in favor of the European allies and removing obstacles to specific transatlantic projects. And only when the European governments show a serious interest in participating in wide-ranging American projects of the future will European industry also receive the invitation to do so.

Do US restrictions limit the potential for transatlantic partnerships?
Currently, European products that include American subsystems face a competitive disadvantage in the global marketplace. This is the result of delivery uncertainties brought about by the complicated and time-consuming procedures implemented by the US government in connection with high-tech exports. Certainly, among close allies it should be possible to drastically reduce the number of items covered by current export control procedures.

Once EADS is established, what will be its top five priorities?