During our Global Conference in Athens, we interviewed Richard Jackson, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of JacksonGrant Executive (IIC Partners) on the rapidly developing aerospace industry. Richard shared insights into the post-pandemic restructuring of supply chains, the industry’s unwavering commitment to net-zero goals by 2050, and the innovative technologies shaping the future of aerospace and aviation.

He also delved into the critical role of talent migration from industries like automotive and IT, highlighting how executive search firms are bridging skill gaps in this dynamic sector. Watch the interview to learn more about the trends driving aerospace innovation and how companies are preparing for the next frontier, from urban aerial mobility to space tourism.

1. How is the aerospace industry evolving in Southeast Asia? 

Post-pandemic, the aerospace industry in Asia Pacific is mitigating supply chains as a result of the China Plus One effect. Increasingly companies are looking to diversify their supply chains to other areas and other countries to become less dependent and less fragile.

2. How are aerospace organizations improving sustainability?

The aerospace industry is committed to net zero goals by 2050. These are non-negotiable and every aerospace business is navigating their way to these. Including, investigating more efficient fuels such as hydrogen or electric propulsion, lightweight components that are actually going to reduce fuel requirements and fuel efficiencies, and the introduction of AI and digital infrastructure that is going to help to make flight scheduling and route-making more efficient.

3. What role do search firms play in the aerospace industry?

Search firms are playing an increasingly critical part in bringing the talent that the aerospace industry needs to fulfill its objectives. In particular, we’ve seen high levels of migration from industries such as automotive where there are high levels of attention to detail and safety and also quality standards on mass production. Also, the industries such as IT and digital have seen talent migrate into aerospace as they need to navigate the complexities of bringing in artificial intelligence to drive the next level of development for the aerospace industry.

Recently, we were assigned to identify the new head of operations and manufacturing for an aerospace business in Thailand. The company was looking to really move towards a more mass level of production and as such the previous talent that we would have looked at was not really going to be right to drive it into the future. Eventually, we identified a suitable candidate who actually came from the automotive background, had a deal of experience in supply chain management and optimization but also in the raw skills of operational efficiency and lean which was really what the company needed as it moves into more mass production. One year later, that person has now been promoted into a vice presidential role of operations and the company is benefiting from over a 20% lean operational improvement.

4. What is the future of the aerospace industry?

The future of the aerospace industry is incredibly exciting. We’re going into certainly sci-fi type scenarios with urban aerial mobility with individual passengers able to on demand order electrically powered and propelled aviation vehicles to their door and to their destination of choice. This is involving technology such as electrical vertical take-off and landing which is again a product and a service which is very much in development.

Beyond sustainability, we’re also looking to take aircraft design to the next level so we’ll be seeing remodeled aircraft be a very different proposition to the fuselage and wings that we see on today’s models with more integrated designs using more lightweight materials using benefits such as additive manufacturing to produce new model shells and propulsion systems. And finally, that’s going to bleed into areas like space tourism so the the likes of you and I may be able to jump on a jet and go and see the moon.

If you would like to discuss this topic further, please reach out to Richard Jackson or find your nearest IIC Partners Global Office.