[SatNews] A new year and a new name for a major company, and what, if any, changes in the company?

Taking off into the New Year, the EADS group has been rebranded as “Airbus Group”. Uniting all its activities under a single and strong brand, Airbus Group also renames two of its three Divisions. Going forward, the Group is home to:

• Airbus is now focusing on commercial aircraft activities.
• Airbus Defence and Space, is integrating the Group’s defence and space activities from Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military.
• Airbus Helicopters, is comprising all commercial and military helicopter activities.

"For many years, Airbus has been a globally renowned synonym for technology breakthrough. Joining forces under the strong Airbus brand gives all operations and employees the thrust and lift to capture global markets." Tom Enders, Airbus Group CEO

In the course of this rebranding, the GEO-Information Division of Astrium Services becomes the program line “Geo-Intelligence”, part of the “Communication, Intelligence & Security” business line of Airbus Defence and Space. This new branding will neither impact the way that this part of the company operates, nor its legal structure, or its customer’s points of contact into the organization. Customers can be assured that, while they will see a logo change, they will continue to receive the level of service they are used to.

Furthermore, the Airbus Group is launching procedures to change the legal form of its holding by 2015: Once renamed, Airbus Group N.V. shall turn into a European Company, Airbus Group SE (Societas Europaea) which will continue to be registered in the Netherlands. “We are a pioneer for European industrial integration. It is a logical step and high time that our multinational culture is also mirrored in our legal structure,” said Enders. This legal conversion has no impact on the organization or operations of the Group."

Both the legal name change into Airbus Group N.V. and the conversion of the legal form into SE are subject to approval of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Shareholders: while adoption of the new name is expected at the AGM in May 2014, the legal conversion is targeted for approval in May 2015.

These steps complement the transformation process of the Group. In less than two years, the company has not only modernized its governance, broadened the shareholding structure, and united the Headquarters but also thoroughly overhauled its company strategy and launched the integration of the defense and space businesses.

Airbus Group is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2012, the Group – comprising Airbus, Airbus Defence and Space, and Airbus Helicopters – generated revenues of 56.5 billion euro and employed a workforce of over 140,000.