Aircraft interiors industry veteran Tom Plant is joining Acro Aircraft Seating this month in the role of executive chairman. The appointment comes at a period of development and major investment at UK-based Acro, including moving into a purpose-built headquarters at Crick, Northamptonshire, and the launch of its Series 9 seating platform.
Tom Plant is well-known in the sector, having worked in it for three decades. His most recent role was as vice president/general manager for commercial and bizjet seating products at Collins Aerospace, in charge of a US$1.4B revenue business unit with more than 4,500 employees. Plant’s skills include strategic business management, driving growth and profitability, and the management of complex technical product portfolios. He has a particular interest in creating and supporting customer intimacy.
Making the announcement, Neil Cairns, chief executive of Acro said, “Tom is an internationally respected business leader with an outstanding track record and a well-earned reputation for driving customer intimacy and for building growth and profitability in the aircraft seating sector, making him uniquely well qualified for this role. His skills and vision will add impetus to our ambitious growth plans, and he will give invaluable support to our dynamic management team.”
Cairns added that the company also hopes to benefit from Plant’s engineering knowledge and industry connections. Tom Plant recently added an MBA from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina to his existing qualifications in Mechanical & Production Engineering gained at North Hertfordshire College in the UK.
Tom Plant said of his appointment at Acro, “I believe the company has a great, agile business model and a strong strategic vision, underpinned by an unwavering commitment to excellence and the financial resources required for success in our sector. That combination will be the basis of a fantastic future for Acro and I look forward to helping the company realise its potential.”
