Bombardier has brought in another former United Technologies Corp. executive, this time to replace Pierre Alary as CFO. John Di Bert, most recently vice president of customer service at UTC’s Pratt & Whitney Canada unit, steps into his new role on August 10. Bombardier announced in April that Alary was retiring after 17 years of service with the company.
Di Bert becomes the third former UTC executive to take a senior position at Bombardier this year. Also joining Bombardier this year was former UTC executive Alain Bellemare, who succeded Pierre Beaudoin as president and CEO of the company. Beaudoin, meanwhile, replaced his father, Laurent Beaudoin, as chairman. Bombardier in May also hired former Pratt & Whitney executive Jim Vounassis as vice president of operations strategy.
The appointments were among more than a half-dozen senior leadership changes made this year while the company has struggled to improve its liquidity and bring its long-delayed CSeries program to market. Bombardier further has added an executive to manage mergers and acquisitions, replaced the heads of both the business and commercial aircraft divisions and named new top sales professionals in both of these divisions.
To ensure a smooth transition at the CFO post, Alary had agreed to remain in his position until a successor could be found. Bombardier said the selection of Di Bert followed an international search. Bellemare credited Di Bert with driving “multiple optimization initiatives both in periods of growth and consolidation.” He also praised Di Bert for a disciplined project management approach and ability to improve cash and profitability performance.
Di Bert spent 14 years with Pratt & Whitney Canada. In addition to vice president of customer service, he served as vice president of the finance and corporate controller for the company. Bombardier said he steered a balance sheet optimization plan that provided sustained annual cash flow over a seven-year period. He also helped build a healthy, well-funded pension plan despite the recent financial crises, according to Bombardier. Di Bert also has served as manager of financial accounting and reporting for Rolls-Royce Canada and as a senior auditor for KPMG.