Bombardier has said that its business jet activities continue to perform well, despite a sharp fall in share prices following the departure of

Paul Tellier as ceo last December. At the company’s business aircraft division, spokesman Leo Knaapen said it was “business as usual”, with the company announcing rises in sales and expansion of service operations, with aircraft sales remaining a particular bright point.

The departure of Paul Tellier in December nonetheless came as a surprise, with Bombardier announ-cing that the company would instead be run by a three man ‘Office of the President’, consisting of Laurent Beaudoin as chairman, with Pierre Beaudoin and Andre Navarri as presidents of the Aerospace and Transportation divisions respectively.

The moves sees Laurent Beaudoin return to the role he left in 1999 and, combined with the promotion of his son Pierre, places the company back under the direct control of the Beaudoin-Bombardier family.

In a statement to press and share-holders, Laurent Beaudoin stressed that the change in management structure came about as a result

of Mr Tellier’s stated preference to leave Bombardier when his contract, which had only one year left to

run, expired.

Praising Mr Tellier as “an agent of change who has delivered,” Beaudoin added that the company and Tellier were parting on good terms. For

his part, Mr Tellier thanked his “dedicated employees for their friendship and unfailing support”.

He added that he understood the board’s concerns that he would not be there for the long term to develop and execute strategies.

Nonetheless, the consequent resignation of board members Michael McCain and Jalynn Bennett – thought to be close allies of

Tellier – suggests the three had been on the losing side of a boardroom

power struggle.

Whilst Bennet declined to comment, McCain issued a tellingly forthright statement, saying: “Decisions were made which I fund-amentally disagree with at this critical juncture in the company’s history. I wish the company and its stake-holders well as they proceed through these very challenging times.”

Tellier’s exit came after a period

of restructuring for Bombardier, during which time the company announced large job cuts, and saw its stock fall 50 per cent in value from the beginning of 2004.