Brazil’s Embraer Defense & Security announced on 20 November 2023 that it has appointed José Gustavo as the company’s new vice president of sales and business development for Europe and Africa. He will be based in Lisbon, Portugal, under the leadership of Frederico Lemos, CCO of the business unit.
Gustavo has more than 20 years of experience in managing defence programmes, having held several leadership positions in projects that have included the sales campaigns for A-29 light attack aircraft in Africa and the C-390 transport aircraft in Europe, as well as developing the A-29’s NATO configuration as the A-29N.
“José Gustavo has been a key executive in the successful sales campaigns we have conducted in Africa and Europe. He has in-depth knowledge of the region and a successful track record over his more-than-20-year career,” Frederico Lemos, CCO of Embraer Defense & Security, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “His appointment as vice president of sales and business development will not only bring gains for Embraer Defense & Security, but for the company as a whole.”
Gustavo began his career as an officer in the Portuguese Air Force. In 2013 he joined OGMA, an Embraer subsidiary in Portugal that conducts aerospace manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work, and soon afterwards moved to Embraer Defense & Security, where he assumed responsibilities in sales and business development in various countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
He is an aeronautical engineer by profession and graduated from the Portuguese Air Force Academy and Instituto Superior Técnico with postgraduate degrees in commercial management (INDEG), international relations (UAL), sales leadership (INSEAD), advanced project management (Catholic Lisbon School of Business & Economics) and advanced negotiation (Nova School of Business and Economics).
