During his tenure at Airbus, Enders oversaw its rise to global leadership in commercial aviation, expanded its presence in defence and space, and significantly increased its enterprise value. Prior to his aerospace career, he held policy and research roles at the German Ministry of Defense and the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
Since departing Airbus, Enders has remained active in international business and policy, serving on corporate boards and advisory groups. His appointment comes as KNDS positions itself as a global leader and European prime contractor in land defence systems.
Jean-Paul Alary, CEO of KNDS, stated: “I’m delighted that Tom Enders is joining KNDS as Chairman of the Board. At a time when KNDS is opening a new chapter in its development as a European lead system integrator champion and global leader in land defense, Tom will bring invaluable experience and a clear strategic vision to help us reinforce the Group position at the heart of the industry’s evolving challenges.”
Commenting on his appointment, Enders said: “I’m honored to join KNDS at such an exciting moment in its journey. As Europe strengthens its defense capabilities, KNDS is uniquely positioned to play a leading role. I look forward to working with the Board and leadership team to building a strong, innovative, and competitive European defense company”.
KNDS is a major European defence group employing over 10,000 people, with a 2024 turnover of €3.8 billion, an order backlog of approximately €23.5 billion, and a 2024 order intake of €11.2 billion. The group delivers advanced land defence solutions, including main battle tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery, weapons systems, ammunition, and robotics.
Formed through the alliance of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter, now operating as KNDS Deutschland and KNDS France respectively, the group plays a critical role in the consolidation of Europe’s defence industry. It supports 24 European armed forces and 19 international customers, with headquarters in Amsterdam.
