EADS Socata Appoints Two

French airframer EADS Socata last week announced it promoted two of its executives to worldwide responsibilities. The company named Nicolas Chabbert as vice president of sales and marketing, reporting directly to EADS Socatas Chairman and CEO, Stphane Mayer, while Raphal Matre, previously deputy vice president of customer service, was promoted to the position of vice president of customer service. Matre will report to Jacques Lordon, EADS Socatas vice president of general aviation. Based in France, with North American operations in Pembroke Pines, Fla., EADS Socata is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, the second-largest aerospace and defense company in the world.

Chabbert, who held senior sales, marketing and customer service positions at Mooney Aircraft, returned to EADS Socata in 2005 as vice president of customer service. He holds Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Instructor certificates and, unsurprisingly, has extensive flight experience with the TBM single-engine turboprop, an EADS Socata product. Previously, he served five years as senior vice president of sales and marketing of Socata Aircraft Inc., the company’s U.S. division. Matre, meanwhile, is a graduate of one of the oldest French engineering schools. In just a few years Raphal attained the respect of our fast growing and demanding population of TBM customers, due to his dedication and his passion for aviation, commented Chabbert.