In May, Airbus chief executive Noel Forgeard is moving up to become co-chief executive of parent company EADS.

Rivalry between France and Germany means choosing his successor has proved tricky.

One much tipped candidate, Airbus chief operating officer Gerard Blanc, was vetoed by Germany - paving the way for Fabrice Bregier, the head of EADS subsidiary Eurocopter, as a possible successor to Mr Forgeard.