French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Airbus pavilion during the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, near Paris, in June 2025. EPA
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Airbus pavilion during the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, near Paris, in June 2025. EPA
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Airbus pavilion during the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, near Paris, in June 2025. EPA
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Airbus pavilion during the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, near Paris, in June 2025. EPA

Lars Wagner to become Airbus chief of commercial aircraft unit from January 2026


Deena Kamel
  • English
  • Arabic

Airbus said Lars Wagner will become the chief of its commercial aircraft business starting from January 1, 2026, at a time when the company is focused on resolving supply-chain bottlenecks and increasing production.

The chief executive of engine parts maker MTU Aero Engines will replace 40-year Airbus veteran Christian Scherer.

Mr Wagner will join Airbus from the beginning of November this year to “ensure a smooth transition” with Mr Scherer, Airbus said on Thursday.

Mr Scherer will remain the chief of the commercial aircraft unit until December 31, topping a career spanning more than 40 years in several executive roles with Airbus, the company said.

Mr Wagner, 50, has held the position of chief executive of Munich-based MTU Aero Engines since January 2023.

Before his appointment as chief executive, and since joining MTU in 2015, Mr Wagner took on the roles of chief operating officer and executive vice president in charge of manufacturing operations.

He held a number of management positions at Airbus including in Bremen, Hamburg and Toulouse. Mr Wagner rejoins the company after working there from December 2003 to June 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. He holds a degree in mechanical and aeronautical engineering as well as an MBA.

The decision to replace Mr Scherer, 62, is guided by succession planning, Guillaume Faury, Airbus chief executive, said in a media call in October 2024, according to Bloomberg.

The European plane maker in June delivered 63 aircraft and recorded 203 gross orders, which included some of the commitments it won at the Paris Air Show last month. Year-to-date deliveries until June reached 306 handovers to 65 customers.

Airbus is struggling to reach its production targets as it struggles with engine shortages and other supplier bottlenecks.

The European manufacturer also faces uncertainty as US tariffs are set to hit the EU bloc's exports as soon as August 1.

Meanwhile its US arch-rival Boeing delivered 60 aircraft in June, its best level in 18 months, putting it level with Airbus. Boeing's June delivery performance reflects improvements in its factories and resuming of US aircraft exports to China.

In the year to June, Boeing delivered 280 commercial planes and in the second quarter delivered 150 aircraft, it said in a July 8 statement.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Results

5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m; Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).

5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Greeley, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.

6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Marzaga, Jim Crowley, Ana Mendez.

6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri.

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Ashras, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
While you're here
Brief scores:

Kashima Antlers 0

River Plate 4

Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)

Oppenheimer
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Updated: July 10, 2025, 5:02 PM`