Airbus Appoints Jürgen Westermeier as India Head, Local Sourcing Takes Center Stage
Airbus has appointed Jürgen Westermeier as the President and Managing Director for India and South Asia, effective September 1, 2025. Currently the Executive Vice-President and Chief Procurement Officer at Airbus, Jürgen will succeed Rémi Maillard who will become Executive Vice-President Engineering for Commercial Aircraft and Head of Technology at Airbus.
In his new role, Jürgen will spearhead Airbus’ business in India and South Asia, across Commercial Aircraft, Defence and Space, and Helicopters. He will be responsible for commercial aircraft sales and for expanding the company’s footprint in the region, which includes services, engineering, digital, innovation and training. Jürgen will also help advance Airbus’ commitment to ‘Make in India’ by supporting the company’s campaigns aligned to this vision.
Jürgen Westermeier’s appointment as the new Head of Airbus India introduces a leader who has not only overseen one of the world’s largest aerospace procurement operations, valued at over €53 billion annually, but has also taken an active role in expanding and developing India’s position within that system.
As Chief Procurement Officer, he played a key role in advancing Indian suppliers from producing basic components to supplying critical parts such as aircraft doors, helping Airbus mitigate supply chain risks while demonstrating that Indian vendors can meet the highest global standards for quality delivery.
His implementation of structured frameworks like the Supplier Financial Watchtower and ZERO-M helped Airbus contain disruptions and ramp up aircraft deliveries to record levels, demonstrating an ability to lead transformation across both strategy and execution.
In the Indian context, Westermeier’s leadership arrives at a very important time. Airbus is rapidly scaling its footprint across commercial, defence, and services verticals, from A320neo deliveries to the C295 military aircraft programme. India needs not just investment but integration into Airbus’s core industrial system.
Westermeier’s familiarity with Indian suppliers, his success in standardising procurement governance across global regions, and his ability to push digitalisation and sustainability at scale make him uniquely suited to lead this transition. One can expect him to accelerate Airbus’s $2B+ sourcing ambitions, build Tier-1 capable supplier clusters, and engage closely with Indian airlines, regulators, and the Ministry of Defence to position Airbus as a long-term industrial partner, not just an OEM.
His appointment reflects Airbus’s intent to expand its industrial footprint in India through long-term collaboration with suppliers, airlines, and policymakers, moving from transactional engagements to strategic, value-driven partnerships.
Jürgen Westermeier, 53, joined Airbus in 2020 as Chief Procurement Officer, where he was responsible for streamlining procurement across all divisions and driving the development of company-wide sourcing tools and processes. Prior to Airbus, he held various strategic roles at BMW Group after starting his career in 1998, spanning information systems, quality management, motorcycles purchasing, and cost engineering. Westermeier holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany.
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