EADS' CEO highlights significant Middle East revenues

As EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space) prepares to mark its 10th anniversary in July, Louis Gallois notes the valuable contribution that the Middle East has made towards the company's development and how business links are likely to strengthen going forward. Indeed, he says that order intake in the region last year amounted  to 11% of the group's total of €45.8bn.

Of course several regional airlines (e.g. Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways) have bought the Airbus flagship A380 and many are looking at the future A350 XWB aircraft, whilst its military division - EADS Defence & Security - has secured orders from UAE and Saudi Arabia for the A330 MRTT tanker and is prime contractor for Saudi Arabia's national border security programme.

Mr. Gallois says that since 2000, "the EADS divisions - Airbus, Eurocopter, EADS Astrium and EADS Defence & Security - have either consolidated their market positions or made significant breakthroughs in the region. This has helped the group increase its total revenues from the €30.8bn recorded in 2001 - the first full year of EADS - and put it on track towards the targeted €80bn in 2020."

He outlines the region's importance as integral to EADS' future development: "Under EADS' long-term strategy plan known as Vision 2020, the company aims to expand its international footprint outside of its home countries in Europe in order to access new markets and technology resources and increase sourcing of products internationally. The Middle East fits squarely into this plan and EADS stands ready to help countries in the region develop their aerospace industries. Already, EADS has signed a major supplier agreement with Mubadala Aerospace in Abu Dhabi that will extend the company's footprint in the region in terms of production capabilities and suppliers and help the emirate become a global aerospace hub."

He concludes  by explaining that in the next few years EADS - a founding member of the Qatar Science & Technology Park with a satellite partnership with Yahsat in the UAE through EADS Astrium - is looking to develop more partnerships throughout the region.