Boeing was once thought of as predominantly an “engineering company,” with products designed by engineers and leadership positions often filled from the engineering ranks of the company. Times have changed. When the opportunity arose to select a new executive for its Business Strategy and Marketing organization, Boeing Commercial Airplanes turned to the academic world and chose Dr. Fariba Alamdari to lead its Market and Value Analysis Group.

Dr. Fariba Alamdari
Market and Value Analysis Group
Boeing Commercial Airplanes

Alamdari headed the Department of Air Transport at Cranfield University in England when Nicole Piasecki, then Vice President, Business Strategy & Marketing, presented the possibility of joining Boeing.

“Dr. Alamdari is one of the world’s top academic researchers and thought leaders for our industry. She has a deep knowledge of the airline business, and she’s worked closely with airlines around the world to help make them more profitable, productive and innovative,” said Piasecki. “We wanted to add that level of expertise and experience to the talented, world-class team we’ve been building.”

The fit is a good one.  As head of Commercial Airplane’s Market Value and Analysis Group, Alamdari and her team help define future customer requirements, guide product development strategy, forecast demand and evaluate market risks and opportunities. These are among the same complex concerns she studied, analyzed, taught and wrote about as a university professor. Alamdari continues to work closely with the world’s airlines in a consultative role.

Piasecki has since moved on to a new assignment as President of Boeing Japan. Her successor, Mike Cave, emphasizes the practical value of Alamdari’s expertise to the Business Strategy & Marketing organization.

“We rely heavily on the disciplined research and detailed analysis produced by Dr. Alamdari and her team as we manage the business every day, and also as we determine our long-term strategic direction,” said Cave. “Fariba’s expertise and the resources produced by her team will help airlines make business decisions on financing, revenue growth, productivity and business model optimization.”

Alamdari is decidedly unassuming about her new role at Boeing, and considers herself as much a student of the industry as an expert or thought leader.

“Our industry is in a constant state of evolution. The harder we work to understand the roots of that evolution, and the better we are at keeping pace with ongoing developments, the more useful our questions, conclusions, and projections will be,” said Alamdari.

“That’s why I love this industry. What you already know tends to keep its relevance, although there’s always something new to learn. Understanding and contributing to the progress of commercial aviation is an intellectually vibrant and inspiring endeavor.”