Matthias Ruete, Director General of the European Commission’s Mobility and Transport Directorate-General, was appointed new representative of the European Commission and chairman of the SESAR JU’s Administrative Board on 17 March 2011. Mr Ruete follows Daniel Calleja Crespo who chaired the SESAR JU’s governing body since its set-up in 2007. Bo Redeborn, Principal Director ATM at Eurocontrol, remains Deputy-Chairman of the board. Matthew Baldwin, recently appointed Director of the EC’s Air Transport Directorate, has been designated as Mr Ruete’s alternate.

“Daniel Calleja has been an outstanding chairman of the SESAR JU’s Administrative Board. Keeping the programme’s best interest always in mind, Mr Calleja successfully piloted the board through many important decisions. As much as we regret to see him leave, we’re also looking forward to working closely together with Mr Ruete in the future. I am fully confident that our cooperation will be as successful in this next, very decisive phase of the SESAR work programme”, says Patrick Ky, Executive Director of the SESAR JU.