[SatNews] Just like the satellites in the sky always on the move, and so it is with those on boards of powerful organizations...

The EADS Board of Directors has met today for one of its regularly scheduled meetings in Amsterdam. During this meeting the following decisions have been taken:

Chairman and CEO EADS N.V. announces that its Board of Directors has designated Tom Enders to take over the role of CEO when Louis Gallois steps down at the end of his mandate.

Concurrently, Arnaud Lagardère will assume the role of Chairman of the Board presently held by Bodo Uebber.

The change-over was prepared diligently by the Board and results from the application of the succession process under the governance of EADS, which was updated in October 2007. It will take place after the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 31, 2012.

These new mandates carry a five year term. Bodo Uebber, the Chairman of the Board, said: “Today’s decisions mark a very important milestone in the development of EADS. Having clarity about the Board and management positions enables EADS to build a bright future for the long term on solid foundations. I am very pleased and proud with the overall composition of the Board of Directors and with the appointments to the management team, especially with its multi-national character. I know that my successor Arnaud Lagardère and all of us share the same strong interest and ambitions for EADS.”

EADS CEO Louis Gallois stated: “The management is grateful that the Board has taken these wide-ranging decisions, in a dispassionate climate, and timely to facilitate a professional transition. Tom Enders not only has a wide range of experience across our businesses, but strong leadership skills and charisma with an established track record. I am sure that he will extend his vision for EADS in the best interest of all its stakeholders and in particular of the great community of employees working together across our nations.“ Sir John Parker, Chairman of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee, concluded: “It was with great satisfaction that through our succession planning process we have found such a wealth and breadth of talents inside EADS. We chose the right person for each of the open positions, to rise to the upcoming strategic challenges facing this Group, and maintain its hard earned leadership positions.

It is regrettable that this generation of management could not yet incorporate female appointments, but I feel comforted that the next wave is showing some very promising prospective candidates for subsequent rounds of succession.“

Following the recommendations of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee, the Board also announces further evolutions of the management team effective 1 June, 2012:

• Fabrice Brégier will succeed Tom Enders and become CEO of Airbus, EADS' largest division, and Günter Butschek, presently Head of Operations of Airbus will be affected to the position of COO of Airbus.
• Harald Wilhelm will become Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of EADS, alongside his present role as CFO of Airbus, following the request of Hans Peter Ring to retire from the company and pursue other objectives. Hans Peter Ring will be preparing his successor for this transition over the next months, and will remain close to him as a senior advisor until the end of 2012.
• Marwan Lahoud, whose mandate comes up for renewal, is reappointed as Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer (CSMO).
• Thierry Baril will assume the role of Head of Human Resources (HR) for EADS; he will retain his duties as Head of Airbus HR together with his expanded responsibility. Jussi Itävuori leaves the company after ten years as Head of HR for EADS. He continues to represent EADS in the Board of Directors of Patria in Finland. Board of Directors As for the Board of Directors, most current Board members will stand for reappointment, carrying the experience gained over the last five years into the new Board.

  The following names will be proposed for appointment by the AGM:

• Arnaud Lagardère, 50, Managing Partner of Lagardère SCA
• Tom Enders, 53, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus SAS
• Hermann Josef Lamberti, 55, Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bank AG
• Sir John Parker, 69, Chairman of Anglo American PLC
• Michel Pébereau, 70, Honorary President of BNP Paribas
• Lakshmi Mittal, 61, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal
• Bodo Uebber, 52, Member of the Management Board of Daimler AG
• Wilfried Porth, 52, Member of the Management Board of Daimler AG
• Dominique D’Hinnin, 52, Co-Managing Partner of Lagardère SCA
• Jean-Claude Trichet, 69, Former President of the European Central Bank
• SEPI, the Spanish state holding company, will provide the name of the director representing it in the coming weeks. Juan Manuel Eguiagaray and Rolf Bartke have chosen not to stand for reappointment.