Leonardo has set up an aeronautics division, naming Stefano Bortoli as managing director. The Italian defense firm said the move supports its industrial plan introduced in March 2024 and aims to strengthen its competitiveness in military and civil aeronautics.
The new division, which will consolidate Leonardo’s aerostructures and aircraft divisions and bring together over 11,000 employees, will focus on developing enabling technologies to support next-generation multi-domain aeronautical systems. It will also be tasked to accelerate the execution of strategies across aerostructures, fixed-wing aircraft and unmanned aerial systems, reinforcing Leonardo’s position as a key player in the global aeronautics industry.
Prior to his appointment, Bortoli had been leading Leonardo’s aerostructures division since January 2023. Previously, he held several senior leadership positions within Leonardo’s aircraft and helicopter divisions, including overseeing strategy, sales and marketing. Bortoli is the former CEO of GIE ATR, a Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer founded by Leonardo and Airbus.
The restructuring follows other recent strategic moves by Leonardo. In April, Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, secured a $64 million contract from the European Union Agency for the Space Programme to extend the operational life of the European Satellite-Based Augmentation System. Earlier this year, the company completed the sale of its underwater business to Fincantieri for $325.7 million, part of a deal initially announced in May 2024.