Simon Free

Simon has spent more than 30 years in the Aerospace and Defense industry, first as a partner at Price Waterhouse Coopers in charge of the French aerospace sector, then as the IBM Global Business Services Partner in charge of aerospace for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and most recently as the IBM Managing Director of the Airbus Account worldwide. Beyond the management of a complex €100M+ P&L delivered by a diverse team of technology and business professionals, Simon has led the design and execution of major corporate transformation projects in the Aviation and Industrial sectors.

As the IBM Managing Director for Airbus, Simon led all IBM businesses and activities for Airbus worldwide and focused with Airbus C-suite and senior executives on the rapid adoption of digital technologies to enhance safety and quality across the aviation business and product lifecycle. Simon led the adoption of new technologies across Airbus, including Analytics, AI, and Blockchain. Simon also accelerated the embrace of new ways of thinking and working to better leverage innovation, including the use of Design Thinking, Agile Development, UX Studios, and MVP Garages, all while building a culture singularly focused on performance.

In addition to his network and experience in capitalizing on revenue opportunities for driving business growth, Simon has a strategic point of view and concrete knowledge of the digital reinvention that is dramatically transforming both operations and business models in the Aviation Industry.