As AIN went to press Eurocopter CEO Fabrice Brégier was about to be officially named COO at troubled sister company Airbus. He had been at this position for 3.5 years. Widely expected to succeed Brégier was Lutz Berling, senior vice president in charge of government programs. He would be the first German to head the Marignane, France-based manufacturer, although Eurocopter was founded as a Franco-German company.