Aura Aero has appointed Drew McEwen as chief commercial officer. Based in the US, McEwen is an experienced aviation professional with over 35 years with two legacy general aviation OEMs, Piper Aircraft and Beechcraft. He will head Aura Aero's commercial team in Toulouse and another team currently under constitution in the US, and will be responsible for consolidating global sales, marketing and customer support functions. He will also work closely with the manufacturer's partners and suppliers worldwide in their common objective of decarbonising aviation.

Before joining Aura Aero, McEwen held the position of vice president of international sales at Piper Aircraft since 2017. He joined Piper in 2010 as director of sales for Americas before becoming head of global sales and business development in 2011. He then served as vice president of sales, marketing and customer support from 2013 to 2017.

Prior to that, he spent 27 years with Beechcraft, where he held leadership positions in customer and product support, aircraft sales, charter management, fractional aircraft ownership and aftermarket sales. During his time there, he was recognised as the highest individual sales producer, personally selling more than $1 billion in new 1900C/D airliner aircraft.

President Jérémy Caussade says: "We are delighted to welcome Drew in the team and are confident that his great experience and his extensive knowledge of the market, as well as his impressive network, will be major assets for the development of Aura Aero and the marketing of our two aircraft families, Integral and ERA."

Mc Ewen says: "I am thrilled that I have joined this remarkable team. At Aura Aero, we are committed to revolutionising the aviation industry by spearheading advancements in technology that will drive the decarbonisation of air transport. With our innovative Integral and ERA aircraft, we aim to set new standards and pave the way for a more sustainable future.

"I am truly looking forward to collaborating with our dedicated employees, esteemed partners and prospective customers as we work together to promote these groundbreaking aircraft. Together, we will leverage our collective expertise and passion to accelerate the adoption of cleaner, greener aviation technologies. I am honoured to be a part of this incredible team, and I cannot wait to contribute to our shared vision of a more sustainable future."

McEwen is a private pilot with instrument multi-engine ratings. He earned a Bachelor's degree in communication from Arizona State University and attended the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, with focus on sales and marketing strategies, professional selling skills and concepts of management.