The Eurofighter consortium has named Giancarlo Mezzanatto as its new chief executive, with the official to assume the post on 1 May.
Currently senior vice-president European military programmes for partner company Leonardo, Mezzanatto served as Eurofighter’s chief operating officer programmes from 2019 until 2021.
He will take the helm from interim chief executive Wolfgang Gammel, who stepped in to the role early this year following the death of Carlo Mancusi last December.
“I am excited to join and lead Eurofighter GmbH at a crucial time for security in Europe and around the world,” Mezzanatto says. “We will continue to develop the capabilities of [the] Eurofighter Typhoon, ensuring that it will remain the world’s leading swing-role military aircraft.”
“Giancarlo brings significant Eurofighter programme experience and expertise, which will be of huge value during the next few years,” says Andrea Thompson, chair of Eurofighter’s supervisory board.
The chief executive post is rotated between the consortium’s partner companies – which also include Airbus Defence & Space and BAE Systems – and has a three-year duration. The Eurofighter programme is a joint effort between Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
A combined total of 680 Eurofighters have been ordered to date by the partner nations, along with export customers Austria, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
