Airbus has appointed Netra Gowda as Vice President, HR Transformation, Digital & AI, marking her return to the aerospace giant after a leadership stint at Stellantis. The move places her at the intersection of people strategy, digital transformation and artificial intelligence as organisations increasingly integrate AI into workforce and business operations.
Gowda's appointment comes as Airbus continues to expand the use of advanced analytics, AI and digital technologies across its global operations. Her new role will focus on aligning human resources transformation with the company's broader digital ambitions.
A return to Airbus with deep institutional experience
Before rejoining Airbus, Gowda served as Vice President, Strategy, Planning and Portfolio at Stellantis. According to details of her professional background, she previously held leadership positions within Airbus Defence and Space, where she led initiatives related to Advanced Analytics, AI and Cloud Acceleration.
Her return brings back an executive who already possesses extensive experience of Airbus' culture, transformation programmes and technology agenda.
During her earlier tenure at Airbus, which spanned more than a decade, Gowda held several strategic roles, including:
- Chief of Staff to the Digital Transformation Officer
- Head of Culture Change for Digital Transformation
- Corporate Innovation Manager
- Group Strategy & Analysis Manager
The breadth of these assignments exposed her to organisational transformation, innovation management and large-scale digital change initiatives across the aerospace group.
AI and HR increasingly converge
Gowda's new mandate reflects a broader shift underway across global corporations, where HR leaders are taking a more active role in digital transformation and AI adoption.
Her responsibilities combine three areas that have become increasingly interconnected:
- Workforce transformation
- Digital strategy execution
- AI-enabled organisational change
As companies deploy AI across business functions, HR teams are increasingly tasked with supporting workforce readiness, skills development, cultural adaptation and change management.
The creation and strengthening of leadership roles focused on HR transformation and AI highlights how organisations are treating technology adoption as both a business and people challenge.
Diverse experience across technology and policy
Beyond Airbus and Stellantis, Gowda has also worked at Intel, adding technology sector experience to her professional background.
She has additionally been involved as a Millennium Leadership Fellow with the Atlantic Council and has served as a guest lecturer on digitalisation at Sciences Po.
These engagements have given her exposure to technology policy, leadership development and discussions around the future of digital transformation.
Strategic timing for Airbus
The appointment comes at a time when Airbus is continuing to invest in digital capabilities across its operations. The company has been expanding the use of AI, advanced analytics and cloud-based technologies to support business processes and operational efficiency.
By bringing back an executive with experience spanning HR transformation, analytics, innovation and digital strategy, Airbus is strengthening leadership oversight of initiatives that connect workforce evolution with technological change.
As AI becomes more deeply embedded in enterprise operations, leaders such as Gowda are expected to play a key role in ensuring organisations balance technological advancement with workforce development, skills readiness and organisational transformation.