Vertical Aerospace expands leadership team with key executive appointments

Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering electric aviation, announced the addition of key executives to its leadership team as the company accelerates through its Flightpath 2030 goals.

Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said: “These appointments further reinforce our leadership bench as we accelerate into our next phase of growth and global deployment. Mark and Steve bring decades of deep operational and engineering expertise that will be instrumental in driving the certification and commercialisation of the VX4 at scale. Eric’s focused leadership, technical insight, and deep certification experience will be invaluable as we advance our hybrid-electric VX4 strategy and expand our market potential.”

Mark Higson joins as chief operating officer and is a seasoned executive with significant expertise in developing operational and commercial strategies, leading complex, global organizations through transformational change. 

He has over four decades of experience across international businesses, most recently serving as chief executive officer of Modulaire Group, a global leader in modular services and infrastructure, where he successfully led the sale and refinancing of the business. 

Originally an aerospace engineer, Higson started his career at British Aerospace, subsequently serving in senior operational leadership roles across the industrials sector, including at Wolseley U.K. and the Royal Mail, and as a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company and to Advent International’s portfolio companies.

Steve Vellacott joins as VP of airworthiness & head of design organization, bringing decades of experience in structural engineering and design, including significant expertise leading electric and other complex VTOL programmes. 

He joins Vertical Aerospace from Lilium, where he was chief technology officer and head of design, overseeing the team responsible for the design, development and certification of its eVTOL aircraft. 

Prior to Lilium, Vellacott spent over three decades at Leonardo Helicopters, holding a variety of leadership roles across its international civil and military programs, where he worked closely with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) around certification and compliance of the aircraft. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2018.

Eric Samson named as VP programme-hybrid, building on the company’s recently announced hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft strategy. Samson is a proven aerospace leader with extensive experience in aircraft design and systems integration. 

Since joining Vertical Aerospace in 2020, he has served as senior vice president of engineering and head of design organization, leading Vertical Aerospace’s engineering and design organization to design, build, test and prepare to certify the VX4. Prior to Vertical Aerospace, Samson held various technical and leadership roles, including at Jet Aviation and Gulfstream Aerospace.

The expansion of Vertical Aerospace’s leadership team builds on the company’s significant momentum and progress towards delivering a scalable, certifiable aircraft to the global market. The company said it remains on track to complete its test flight program in 2025, having recently achieved the first piloted wingborne flight of a winged eVTOL in European public airspace.

Source : Vertical Aerospace.

AeroMorning.com