Tom Williams
Chief Operating Officer
Administration
Airbus SE
Germany
Biography
Tom Williams was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Airbus Commercial Aircraft in January 2015. He is responsible for the overall operations including Engineering, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. Tom is a member of the Executive Management Team of Airbus and the Airbus Commercial Aircraft Executive Committee. Previously Tom was Airbus Commercial Aircraft Executive Vice President Programmes, a position he held from July 2005. His role covered all Airbus aircraft families and as such, he was in charge of ensuring the profitability of the civil programmes, of leading the product policy and the development of new products, as well as ensuring proper delivery to the customers. Before being appointed to this position, he had been Executive Vice President Procurement since February 2004. After completing an apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce Aero Engines in 1972, Tom went on to carry out increasingly senior roles in a number of UK manufacturing companies. In 1992 he was appointed Operations Manager for Cummins Engines, looking after all manufacturing at the company’s 1,200-strong Scottish factory. At the start of 1995 he became Manufacturing and Business Group Director for the Sensors activity of Pilkington Optronics – a joint venture with Thomson CSF of France. Focusing initially on the introduction of ‘lean manufacturing’ techniques, he also became involved in integrating Thorn EMI Electro Optics into the business.
Research Interest
Business Development
