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Specific actions prioritised innovations linked to the Divisions’ business goals and addressed weaknesses in programmes and processes.
2007 was a watershed year for the EADS Corporate Technical Office, as it implemented a number of significant initiatives to bolster its contribution to EADS’ growth.
Research & Technology
Priority was placed on ensuring that the EADS-wide Research & Technology (R&T) strategy is closely linked to the business objectives. This strategy is now being implemented in the Divisions.
Signifying a shift in direction towards working more closely with the Divisions and the sharing of new technologies, the former Corporate Research Centre was unified and rebranded as 
EADS Innovation Works. In the United Kingdom, it launched a new branch of its global network of sites, and it expanded its centre in Singapore.
To widen its access to new technologies, EADS entered into a series of new partnerships and projects with leading research institutes and universities in Canada, China, India, Ireland, Russia and the United States.
A business nursery was launched to develop key technologies that reach beyond the basic EADS business. Examples of this are several security-related technologies for the detection of explosives.
The increase in the number of patents filed during the year gives a good indication of the greater momentum in R&T since new management was appointed in 2006. Some 961 inventions were patented in 2007, compared with 792 in 2006.
EADS climbed in the Wall Street Journal’s ranking of top patent filers at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from 9th to 6th place.
The PLM Harmonisation for ENhanced Integration and eXcellence (PHENIX) programme was launched to set up harmonised forward-looking Product Lifecycle Management at all levels of EADS.
Chief Quality Officer (CQO)
Reporting to the Chief Technical Officer, the CQO leads the EADS-wide Improvement Programme, which aims to increase customer and shareholder confidence in operations and programmes.
A unified Customer Review process was implemented and is now running in all Divisions.
Black Belt improvement experts have been selected and qualified within all Divisions. Their mission is to continuously improve performance at all operational levels.
A collaborative Lean Operations approach was launched to identify and transfer EADS internal and external “lean” best practices.
In close collaboration with programme managers and sponsored by the Airbus Chief Operating Officer, a Programme & Risk Management initiative was launched to improve programme performance by ensuring a transfer of learning and best practices between EADS programmes.
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
The Executive Committee approved plans for shared Information Technology (IT) services across EADS, with potential savings of up to 30 %. As part of the project, IT governance and IT principles were defined and several transformation opportunities have been identified.
There are plans to further improve the transition of developed technologies from R&T to industrial programmes. Additionally, measures will be taken to enhance public funding coordination and to expand career opportunities for the technical community within EADS.
Specifically, the function will focus on developing technologies for the security business and will contribute to the environmental and services strategies.
Finally, the function will target savings from improvement programmes associated with the shared IT services platform as well as the Black Belt and PHENIX programmes.
