Patrick Ky appointed as Director of EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency.
Mr. Patrick Ky is currently Executive Director of the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking and has driven the set-up and execution of Europe’s ambitious air traffic management modernisation programme since October 2007.
Mr Ky will succeed Mr Patrick Goudou, who has been Executive Director of EASA since its creation in September 2003 and whose term ends on 31 August 2013.
“I am delighted that the EASA Management Board have nominated Patrick Ky as my successor. Patrick is a leading figure in European aviation and his experience and skills will be a tremendous asset to the Agency. I look forward to working closely with him over the coming months as we prepare the transition,” said Patrick Goudou.
Prior to leading SESAR, Mr Ky held different managerial positions in the French Civil Aviation Authority, a consulting company, and Eurocontrol. In 2004, he joined the European Commission to work on SESAR.
In total, Mr Ky has more than 23 years of work experience in Civil Aviation. A graduate from Ecole Polytechnique and the Civil Aviation Engineering School in France, Mr Ky also holds degrees in economics from the University of Toulouse and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ky has been an integral driver in the set-up and execution of Europe’s first ambitious air traffic management modernisation programme. “This is great news for Patrick but of course the organisation, and in particular Vice- President Kallas, is disappointed to see him go. Patrick has been invaluable to the successful accomplishment of every step of this Joint Undertaking and we are sad to lose him, however, we can at least revel in the fact that he will not be too far away, ” says Matthias Ruete, Director-General Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), European Commission and Chairman of the Administrative Board of SESAR.
“It has been a privilege to lead SESAR’s incredibly talented people through times of great challenge and great opportunity. I am extraordinarily proud of what we have accomplished together and I am confident that my departure will not jeopardize the future of SESAR. The team is ready, prepared and skilled to face future challenges and build on the good work that has already been achieved. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with SESAR in my new position – which, after all shares a common objective,” says Patrick Ky on his new engagement.
Indeed, the team at SESAR sees his appointment as a compliment and strong recognition of the important work being delivered to date. “On behalf of the team at SJU and personally, I would like to congratulate Patrick for his new high level and key position. I can already say that we will miss his leadership and friendship in the SJU,” said Carlo Borghini, Deputy Executive Director, Administration and Finance at SESAR.
Source: SESAR JU
