MTU Aero Engines Appoints Ex-LHT Leader Bussmann As CEO

Former Lufthansa Technik (LHT) leader Johannes Bussmann will become CEO of MTU Aero Engines in 2025 succeeding Lars Wagner.

The appointment announced Dec. 18 marks a return to the aviation industry for Bussmann who stepped down from LHT in 2022.

He will take the reins at Munich-headquartered MTU for a period of five years following a board meeting held Dec. 17. Bussmann will step down from MTU's supervisory board, which he joined earlier this year, when he becomes CEO.

He succeeds Wagner, who is stepping down as CEO after leading the engine manufacturer and maintenance provider since January 2023. Wagner announced in October that he would not continue past the end of his five-year tenure, which was set to run until the end of 2025, to take on the commercial aircraft CEO role at Airbus vacated by Christian Scherer.

MTU said the exact date Wagner’s role will be transferred to Bussmann will be announced soon.

Since leaving LHT, Bussmann has been executive chairman of TÜV Süd, a German company which develops testing and certification programs related to additive manufacturing for industrial companies. 

At LHT, Bussmann helped oversee the creation of the Poland-based EME Aero joint venture between LHT and MTU Aero Engines, which focuses on MRO services for Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines.

The leadership announcement coincides with MTU Aero Engines projecting healthy financial figures for this year and into 2025.

In October, the business lifted its earnings outlook for the 2024 adjusted earnings before interest and taxes to top €1 billion ($1.1 billion), which is ahead of its previous guidance of €950 million to €980 million.

MTU’s revenue guidance for the full year stands at €7.3 billion to €7.5 billion, with projections of €8.3-8.5 billion in 2025. Expected to be among its strongest revenue performers next year is commercial maintenance, which is expected to grow in the the low-to-mid teens percentage range in 2025.

The GTF engine program, which MTU Aero Engines has an up to 18% share on depending on the application, is expected to account for around 40% of commercial revenues next year.