Gerd Berchtold is the new CEO of Diamond Aircraft, Austria, responsible for design, production, and customer support. He will report directly to Diamond owner Christian Dries.
Marketing, distribution, and aircraft finance will continue to report directly to Dries. The company is focusing on emerging and high-growth markets, including Russia and China. With the traditional retail markets having shrunk over the last several years, the company is shifting more attention to aircraft that have commercial applications, such as the flight training and aerial sensor markets.
Berchtold joins Diamond from Premium Aerotec, an EADS subsidiary, where he was responsible for the production of commercial aircraft sections in Augsburg, Germany, and he played a major role in establishing the composite technology at this plant. Prior to this, he was at EADS Military Aircraft, where he headed the structural and equipment development department for commercial and military aircraft. He is an active pilot.