Starting on December 1st, 2021, Ricardo Varela is appointed executive vice president and general manager of Safran Electrical & Power’s Interconnection Systems Americas division, which specializes in aeronautical electrical cabling for western hemisphere. He will replace Jorge Ortega, who has been appointed CEO of Safran Cabin.
Varela began his career in 1996 as General Manager of Integradora Makawi (agro industry). In 2000, he joined Johnson Controls (automotive) as Maintenance Repair & Overhaul (MRO) and Logistics leader.
In 2002, he was hired by Labinal in Chihuahua, which has since become Safran Electrical & Power, as Materials superintendent. In 2004, he was appointed program manager for Hawker Beechcraft, then in 2006, he became General Manager Design Office for Mexico. In 2008, he joined the Everett site in the US as Engineering leader of the Boeing 787 end-to-end program.
In 2010, he was appointed general manager of Safran Engineering Services Americas, and then in 2018, he became Vice President of Boeing projects for the Interconnection Systems Americas division in addition to this role.
Varela, 48, is a graduate of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (1996), Mexico.