On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, European defense consortium MBDA announced that Jean-Brice Dumont had been appointed its new Chief Executive Officer. He will succeed Éric Béranger on November 1, 2026. Béranger has led the company since 2019. The handover process will begin in October to ensure a smooth transition.
Jean-Brice Dumont / Photo: MBDA
Jean-Brice Dumont brings extensive international experience in the aerospace and defense sectors. Over the past 14 years, he has successively served on the executive committees of Airbus Helicopters, Airbus Commercial, and Airbus Group, where he held the position of Head of Engineering. For the past five years, he has been responsible for Military Air Systems and AirPower at Airbus Defence and Space in Spain. Throughout his career, he has focused on delivering major international programs, including Tiger, NH90, and H160/HIL, as well as Airbus civil aircraft programs, particularly the market introduction of the A321XLR and A350F. Over the past five years, his work has centered on strengthening the resilience of key programs such as the A400M, while also overseeing the modernization of the Eurofighter, A330 MRTT, and C295 fleets and expanding production capacity.
He has also actively prepared the development of next-generation programs across all business segments, from unmanned systems and mission systems to air transport and combat aviation. Under Éric Béranger’s leadership, MBDA underwent seven years of intensive transformation and growth. Since 2019, the consortium has reached a new level of strategic importance. It grew from a company generating approximately 3 billion EUR in annual revenue, employing 12,000 people, and holding an order backlog worth 18 billion EUR into an organization with nearly 6 billion EUR in revenue, 22,000 employees, and a still-growing order backlog valued at 44 billion EUR.
MBDA has reaffirmed its key role in Europe’s rearmament by doubling production between 2023 and 2025, while shortening production cycles through a wide-ranging investment program that continues to expand. The consortium has also reshaped its product portfolio to provide European armed forces and their allies with sovereign solutions tailored to current and future threats.
Jean-Brice Dumont said:
„I am honored to join MBDA at a moment where the Group stands at the center of the defence of Europe and its allies. I would like to warmly thank Eric for handing over a Group that has been deeply transformed, a Group stronger and ready for the challenges ahead. I am looking forward to meeting all MBDA people and pursuing the mission entrusted to me. We are facing unprecedented challenges and I am confident that together, with MBDA’s unique know-how, skills and innovative spirit, we will succeed on this journey.”
Simon Barnes, Chairman of MBDA, said:
„Jean-Brice joins MBDA with an excellent track-record and we wish him a very warm welcome. Eric will handover the helm of the Group with the trust of its customers, an historical order book, an industrial tool in full expansion, world class technologies, a collaborative spirit, and above all MBDA’s people. Together with the MBDA Board, we wish Eric a promising new chapter and Jean-Brice full success in his new position.”
Eric Béranger said:
„I would first like to thank all the MBDA teams for their outstanding commitment. When I joined in 2019, none of us could have imagined what we would be faced with. We stepped up to every challenge and MBDA is now more essential than ever to global peace and security. During this historical time, serving MBDA and its customers has been my highest pride. I am confident that Jean-Brice will pursue MBDA’s transformation and build on MBDA’s unique model to meet the demands ahead.”
🔴 @JeanBriceDumont will become MBDA’s new CEO from 1 November 2026, succeeding Eric Béranger.
Jean-Brice Dumont has an extensive international experience in aerospace and defence and will continue the transformation journey started by Eric Béranger.
🗞️ https://t.co/NjBVqPNDhw pic.twitter.com/xuSfT8vgXk
— MBDA (@MBDAGroup) July 15, 2026