Airbus announces the appointment of Jean Claude Nicolas as Senior Vice President Communications, effective mid April 2004. Mr Nicolas (52) is joining from Pechiney Group where he was Head of Communications since January 1998.

After graduating from the Rouen University in Law and Economic Sciences in 1974 and from the Political Science Institute (I.E.P.) of Paris in 1977 applied post-graduate diploma), Jean Claude Nicolas started his professional career with Chrysler-France in 1978 as a trainer in the Personnel and Industrial Relations Directorate. He then moved on to the automotive PSA Group where he held a series of different responsibilities within the Communications Department, ending as Deputy Vice President Press Relations.

After a short stay with the Agache Group (LVMH) as Deputy Vice President Group Communications, Mr Nicolas joined SNECMA in 1990 as Vice President Communications where he was in charge of developing the Communications Department and defining and implementing the Group’s external Communications policy. In 1995 he joined the French automotive manufacturers’ federation (C.C.F.A.), again as Vice President Communications. In 1997, he moved on to Pechiney as Deputy Vice President Communications and then Head of Communications. In this capacity, he was in charge of defining and implementing the communications strategy related, amongst others, to positioning the Communications Department as a business partner for operating departments and core functions.

Jean-Claude Nicolas is married and has two daughters. In his free time he likes reading, especially Anglo-Saxon literature, and mechanical sports.


More...