Bombardier Makes Leadership Change

David Coleal is out at Bombardier as it “has begun the process of streamlining its senior leadership team as it transitions to a pure-play business jet company,” the airframer announced late on Thursday. As part of this process, the Montreal-based company eliminated the Bombardier Aviation president role, to which Coleal had been promoted last year after helming the business jet division since 2015.

“With the sale of Bombardier Transportation nearing completion, we are preparing for our future as a business aviation company,” said Éric Martel, who assumed the president and CEO role at Bombardier Inc. in March, replacing Alain Bellamare. “Our goal is to create a leaner, more agile, and customer-centric company to better capture growth opportunities with our industry-leading business jet portfolio. This includes simplifying our corporate leadership structure.”

Martel added, “I want to acknowledge and thank David Coleal for his many contributions to Bombardier. We wish David continued success in his future endeavors.”

Coleal rejoined Bombardier in 2015 after a nearly four-year stint as executive vice president and general manager at Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita, which followed his three and a half years as vice president and general manager at Bombardier Learjet. Prior to Learjet, Coleal served as president and COO at Cirrus Aircraft from 2001 to 2008.

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Over the past five years, Coleal has shepherded the Global 7500 to completion and unveiled the Global 5500 and 6500 models, which are now both certified and in service. He has also helped steer the dramatic expansion in Bombardier's services. Under his stewardship, the business aviation group, once plagued with a delayed Global 7500 program and a canceled Learjet 85, became what analysts deemed the "crown jewel" of the company. Coleal also during that time has become an industry leader in sustainability, heading the General Aviation Manufacturer Association's environmental committee.