Sabine Klauke
Sabine Klauke | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 7, 1973 Aachen, Germany |
| Occupation(s) | Aerospace executive, engineer |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Airbus, Executive Vice President (EVP) of Engineering for Airbus Commercial Aircraft |
Sabine Klauke (born July 7, 1973, in Aachen) is a prominent German leader in the aerospace sector, currently holding the positions of chief technology officer (CTO) at Airbus and executive vice president (EVP) of engineering for its commercial aircraft division. Since July 2021, she has been part of Airbus's executive committee.
Early life and education
Klauke pursued mechanical engineering studies at TU Dresden and INSA Hauts de France, with an emphasis on mathematics, optimization techniques, and their practical implementation. She completed her doctorate at TU Dresden, focusing on digital concurrent engineering methods and optimizing factory layouts.
Career
Her professional journey started in 1998 at DELMIA, a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, where she managed the rollout of digital manufacturing software and provided consulting services to automotive and aerospace customers worldwide.
In 2002, Klauke joined Airbus, taking on multiple leadership roles within the commercial aircraft division across various European locations including France, Germany, the UK, and Spain. She played a key role in significant programs such as the A380 and A350.
Between 2015 and 2018, she headed aftermarket operations as the leader of Programmes Customer Services. In this capacity, she was responsible for the Airbus A330/A340 programs initially and later managed services for the entire global Airbus fleet to maintain operational safety and reliability.
In 2018, Klauke was appointed EVP Engineering at Airbus Defence and Space, joining its executive leadership team. Her responsibilities encompassed all engineering efforts including research, technology advancement, and innovation within that business unit.
Since her appointment as CTO of Airbus in July 2021, Klauke oversees the Technology & Engineering division comprising over 13,000 employees worldwide. She spearheads the company’s technological direction with an emphasis on sustainable aerospace innovations. Additionally, she manages the design, development, certification processes, and airworthiness standards for all commercial aircraft products and services. Beginning in 2024, she also assumed the role of EVP Engineering for Airbus’s commercial aircraft segment.
Klauke holds influential positions in various industry organizations such as VDI and BDLI. Her current appointments include:
- Co-chairing the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU)
- Serving as vice president aviation for BDLI
- Chairing the supervisory board of Airbus GmbH in Germany
In recognition of her contributions, Klauke was named a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS) in 2024 and was honored as the “most influential woman in the German economy 2023” by manager magazin.
Personal life
Residing in Toulouse, Klauke is married with two children. She enjoys outdoor pursuits such as mountain hiking to rejuvenate herself. Formerly a saxophonist, she continues to appreciate attending live music performances.