Airbus has announced that Christian Venzal has been appointed to the position of Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Australia and New Zealand effective November 1, replacing the company’s former Managing Director and Head of Country for Australia and New Zealand, Andrew Mathewson.

Mr Venzal comes to Australia from his previous role as Vice President Transversal Coordination and Business Development at Airbus Helicopters in Marignane near Marseille in France.  

“Australia and New Zealand are key markets for our helicopter business, with a strong footprint in the civil, parapublic and military segments,” Mr Venzal said in a release. “In addition, we have an important local presence in both countries with some 1,300 employees in Australia and 200 in New Zealand. I look forward to further developing our position in these markets, working closely with colleagues, customers, partners and industry stakeholders.”

In an October 31 post on LinkedIn, Mr Mathewson said, “It has been a great honour to have been the local Managing Director and Head of Country for Australia and New Zealand. I wish to express my thanks to the Airbus team for their hard work and dedication supporting a broad range of customers.”