Airbus recently announced the appointment of Eid Al Qahtani as Airbus President for its new regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, underlining the company’s long-term commitment to the Kingdom and the wider region.
“We are privileged to see Eid Al Qahtani leading our operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as President for Airbus from our new Regional Headquarters in Riyadh. Al Qahtani brings valuable insights to the country’s ambitious goals and he understands the importance of local talent development. His proven track record in successfully leading projects in the region makes him a perfect fit for this role,” stated Wouter Van Wersch, president of Airbus International.
Stronger partnerships with key stakeholders
The Airbus regional headquarters in Riyadh marks an expansion of the company’s commercial, defense, space and helicopter businesses in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Since the 1970s, Airbus has significantly grown its presence in the Kingdom, continuously increasing its contribution to the aviation and aerospace sectors. Currently, Airbus employs more than 350 people in Saudi Arabia, 30 percent of whom are Saudi nationals and the remainder represented by over 30 nationalities.
Al Qahtani will focus on strengthening partnerships with governments and stakeholders while driving new business growth in the region. With more than 20 years of leadership experience, including as head of operations for Airbus Helicopters in Riyadh, Al Qahtani brings a deep industrial expertise to the position.
Commenting on his appointment, Al Qahtani stated: “I am honored to be leading Airbus from our new Riyadh Headquarters and look forward to further consolidating Airbus’ presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is a most strategic market for us. Our aim is to continue supporting Saudi Arabia’s long-term goals, whilst inspiring the next generation of Saudi leaders in the aerospace sector.”
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Saudi-Airbus ties
In January 2024, Airbus signed an Industrial Participation (IP) agreement with the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) to support the growth of the industrial ecosystem in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.
This agreement includes the transfer of technology and expertise to local companies, such as SAAMS (SAMI Airbus Aircraft Maintenance Services), the joint venture between Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and Airbus, which serves as the key driver for industrial localization in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia and Airbus have built strong ties over the years. Most recently, Riyadh Air placed a firm order for 60 A321neo Family aircraft.
Aviation already stands as a key pillar in the country’s Vision 2030, playing a pivotal role in enabling the Kingdom’s broader economic and social ambitions through global connectivity. Saudi Arabia’s aviation goals include tripling annual passengers to 330 million, expanding connectivity to over 250 destinations from its 29 airports, and boosting air freight capacity to 4.5 million tons of cargo per annum by 2030.
The government also aims to have the aviation sector’s economic contribution hit $74.6 billion by 2030, up from the current $21.3 billion. Therefore, its partnership with Airbus and the new regional headquarters will significantly contribute to the Kingdom’s aviation growth targets.
