John Leahy (executive)

John Leahy (born August 1950) is the chief operating officer - customers at Airbus after being appointed to the position in July 2005. Leahy continues as Airbus' chief commercial officer, a role he has held since August 1994. He is a member of the Airbus main board of management. At Airbus, and indeed throughout the commercial aviation industry, he is known as a prolific aircraft salesman. He made a significant contribution to the increase in Airbus' market share, from 18% in 1993 to 57% a decade later.

Background

Leahy has an MBA from Syracuse University and a BA from Fordham University. He is a licensed multi-engine commercial pilot and is a former flight instructor with nearly 4,000 hours of flying time. From 1977 to 1984, Leahy worked in marketing at Piper Aircraft.

Airbus career

Leahy joined Airbus North America in January 1985, becoming head of sales soon after. He was appointed president of Airbus North America in 1988 with responsibility for the penetration of the strategic North American market, where most major U.S. airlines were Boeing customers. Following Leahy's appointment to the main office of Airbus in 1994, he set a commercial goal for the company to achieve 50% of market sales by the year 2000. The target was reached in 1999 and Airbus has maintained over 50% market share – including worldwide deliveries of aircraft – until 2005.

Leahy was instrumental in the launch of the new Airbus flagship, the A380-800 passenger aircraft...
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