Airbus chief executive Christian Streiff resigned late yesterday from his position with the troubled European manufacturer.

The vacancy is filled by EADS co-chief executive Louis Gallois, who also retains his position with Airbus’s parent company.

As part of the management restructuring, EADS’s other co-chief executive Tom Enders now takes full responsibility of the company’s non-Airbus divisions.

“The new management structure will allow, on the one hand, a leaner, more efficient corporate governance and, on the other hand, additional cost savings within the EADS group,” says EADS in a statement.

“The board of directors once more underlined its unanimous support for the ‘Power8’ [cost cutting] programme as decided on 3 October 2006 as well as for the immediate implementation of the A380 recovery plan. It will take its decision on the A350 XWB in the next weeks,” adds EADS.

Streiff's resignation comes less than a week after the A380 programme was delayed for a third time. The first delivery is now scheduled for late 2007.

Streiff, who took over as Airbus chief executive in July, was appointed after a separate A380 delay resulted in an overhaul of the airframer’s senior management.

Source: FlightGlobal.com