Vertical Aerospace Fortifies Leadership for eVTOL Certification Race

BRISTOL, UK & NEW YORK, NY – January 08, 2026 – In a strategic move signaling a pivotal shift from development to commercial readiness, Vertical Aerospace [NYSE: EVTL] has announced the appointment of three seasoned executives to its leadership team. The company, a pioneer in the burgeoning electric aviation sector, has brought on board top talent from the automotive, consumer tech, and human resources industries to navigate the complex path to certifying and scaling its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Ollie Roberts joins as Chief People Officer, Juan Carlos Sacristan as Chief Data & Information Officer, and Richard Moore as Vice President, Powertrain. The appointments are designed to strengthen the company’s core capabilities as it enters what CEO Stuart Simpson calls a “transformational year.”

“Vertical has reached an important inflection point,” Simpson stated in the announcement. “As we move at pace toward certification, manufacturing and commercialisation, strengthening leadership across technology, core engineering disciplines and people positions us to scale effectively and deliver on our long-term ambitions.”

A Trio of Titans from Automotive, Tech, and HR

The caliber of the new hires underscores the multifaceted challenges of bringing an eVTOL to market. Each executive brings a formidable track record of execution in industries that have undergone their own profound transformations.

Richard Moore, the new VP of Powertrain, is a 35-year industry veteran and a globally recognized battery expert. His appointment is particularly significant given that the powertrain—encompassing batteries, electric motors, and management systems—is the heart of any eVTOL. Moore previously served as Director of Propulsion at Lotus, where he led the engineering for the groundbreaking Evija electric hypercar. Before that, as Chief Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, he was instrumental in the electrification of its vehicle lineup, including the award-winning Jaguar I-Pace. His deep experience in high-performance battery systems and automotive electrification is directly applicable to the immense energy density, safety, and thermal management challenges of aerospace batteries.

Leading the company’s digital strategy is Juan Carlos (“JC”) Sacristan. As Chief Data & Information Officer, he is tasked with building the digital backbone essential for designing, testing, and manufacturing the Valo aircraft at scale. His career includes senior technology and data roles at some of the world’s most recognized brands, including Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Adidas and Digital Global Lead at Nike. His experience at GE Gas Engines and as CDIO at life sciences firm Abcam demonstrates a proven ability to drive growth through complex data and AI-led strategies, which will be critical for leveraging advanced simulation and creating a “digital twin” of the aircraft for certification and operational efficiency.

Rounding out the new appointments is Ollie Roberts as Chief People Officer. In an industry facing a widely acknowledged talent shortage, Roberts’ role is vital. With over 25 years of experience leading HR and large-scale transformations at global giants like AB InBev and SAB Miller, he is charged with building a high-performing and resilient organization. Most recently at BMI Group, he led a comprehensive cultural and organizational overhaul, an experience that will be crucial as Vertical Aerospace scales its workforce for manufacturing and commercial operations.

Navigating the Gauntlet of Certification

These leadership reinforcements arrive as Vertical Aerospace navigates the rigorous and costly process of aircraft certification. The company is developing the Valo, a piloted, four-passenger eVTOL, and is targeting type certification from aviation authorities by 2028. This process is a high-stakes gauntlet that requires proving the aircraft meets the same stringent safety standards as commercial airliners—a probability of catastrophic failure of less than one in a billion flight hours.

Vertical has made significant headway. In March 2023, it became the first eVTOL manufacturer to receive a Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), a key milestone that streamlines the path to full certification. The company is working concurrently with the CAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which have agreed to a parallel validation process. This collaboration is expected to de-risk the regulatory pathway for operations in both the UK and Europe, with further validation efforts underway with the FAA in the United States and other key international markets.

The company is currently in the final stages of its prototype flight-test program, 'Phase 4 – Transition,' which involves the critical maneuver of shifting from vertical, helicopter-like hover to wing-borne, airplane-like flight.

Engineering Success with Powertrain and Data

The appointments of Moore and Sacristan directly address the two most critical technical pillars for eVTOL success: power and data. The powertrain dictates an eVTOL’s range, payload, and, most importantly, its safety. The industry is in a race to develop batteries that are light enough for flight, powerful enough for vertical lift, and robust enough to prevent thermal runaway. Moore’s expertise in managing these trade-offs in high-performance electric vehicles provides Vertical with a significant competitive edge.

Simultaneously, the sheer complexity of designing and certifying a novel aircraft class makes a data-first approach non-negotiable. Sacristan’s role will focus on creating a single source of truth across the entire product lifecycle. This involves using advanced modeling and AI-driven simulations to test thousands of design variables, predict performance, and provide regulators with the exhaustive, traceable data required for certification. This digital-first methodology is essential for reducing costly physical prototypes and accelerating development timelines.

Winning the Industry’s War for Talent

The entire Advanced Air Mobility sector is grappling with a severe talent shortage. The Vertical Flight Society has identified the lack of specialized engineers as a “critical bottleneck” for the industry. Companies like Vertical are competing not only with each other but also with established aerospace giants and big tech for a limited pool of experts in fields like battery chemistry, flight control software, and composite materials. High attrition rates across the sector further compound the challenge.

In this environment, the appointment of a CPO like Ollie Roberts is a strategic imperative. His mission extends beyond recruitment to encompass organizational design, culture development, and retention. Building an organization that can attract and nurture top-tier talent is as crucial to Vertical's long-term success as perfecting its battery technology. The ability to build a stable, motivated, and highly skilled workforce will be a key differentiator in the years to come.

Balancing Investor Hopes with Market Realities

For investors, these strategic hires provide a strong signal of execution focus. While Vertical Aerospace boasts one of the industry's largest pre-order books, with around 1,500 conditional orders from major airlines, its stock [NYSE: EVTL] has experienced the volatility common to pre-revenue technology companies. Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and price targets suggesting significant upside, but concerns over cash burn and the capital-intensive nature of certification remain.

The company has bolstered market confidence through actions like the significant open-market share purchases made by its board and senior leadership in late 2025. The new leadership appointments are likely to further reassure the financial community that the company is investing in the necessary expertise to navigate its complex roadmap. By assembling a team with proven experience in scaling complex engineering projects and building global organizations, Vertical Aerospace is making a calculated bet that expert leadership is the ultimate key to turning the promise of electric aviation into a commercial reality.