Gut: Exit mode

Paris, June 11 (Reuters): One of the top executives of European aerospace firm EADS, strategy chief Jean-Paul Gut, announced his resignation on Monday in what he described as a rift with its French and German leaders over its structure.

Gut’s departure follows weeks of speculation that he was about to leave to pursue interests in West Asia, where he has brokered some of the Airbus parent firm’s top deals.

“I have had disagreements with my employer on organisation,” Gut, an EADS board member, said in an interview with French daily newspaper Le Figaro, adding that he would receive a 2.8-million-euro ($3.76-million) payoff.

Le Figaro, echoing recent industry speculation, said Gut would be replaced by Marwan Lahoud, 41, the head of European missiles maker, MBDA.

EADS was not immediately available for comment.

“I am leaving now because, after months of discussions, I have not reached an agreement with (EADS co-chief executives) Louis Gallois and Thomas Enders on the integration of marketing, sales and strategy, which I thought was necessary to face future challenges efficiently,” Gut told Le Figaro.

Coming a week before the Paris Air Show, Gut’s resignation is the latest tremor at EADS, which has been wrestling with management changes, aircraft delays and an insider-trading probe in the past year, but which says it is now recovering quickly.

Gut, 45, said he would set up his own company to advise French companies in areas like the West Asia, China and India. Last month, EADS had said that Gut’s departure was “not on the agenda” and dismissed a report that he would receive a pay-off of 12 million euros if he left.

Severance payments have become a heated political issue in France after EADS co-CEO Noel Forgeard left during a crisis over Airbus A380 production delays with an 8.5 million-euro package.