The Experts Corner
Interview of Carlos Brana, new Executive Vice President of Civil Aircraft at Dassault Aviation since July 2019
“DGAC (Direction Générale des Avions Civils) : We are, in the “Falcon world” of Dassault Aviation, the interface between the customer and the company. We are in charge of the selling process, the management of the sales contracts, and the support of our customers after their aircraft is delivered (maintenance and troubleshooting when necessary). We are always in direct contact with the customers, which allows us to get their feedback and perceptions to communicate it to other departments of our Company. Since July 1st, after Olivier Villa retirement, I have been appointed to lead this department.”
“DGAC (Direction Générale des Avions Civils) : We are, in the “Falcon world” of Dassault Aviation, the interface between the customer and the company. We are in charge of the selling process, the management of the sales contracts, and the support of our customers after their aircraft is delivered (maintenance and troubleshooting when necessary). We are always in direct contact with the customers, which allows us to get their feedback and perceptions to communicate it to other departments of our Company. Since July 1st, after Olivier Villa retirement, I have been appointed to lead this department.”
— What is your favorite part about your job?
Meeting personally with the customers to understand better how we can improve and which new needs are coming.
— What is your background? Have you always been in your current industry or have you changed throughout your career?
I have always worked for Dassault Aviation. When you start in this company, it’s like when you “take the Holy Orders”. This longevity and dedication is an advantage for the company as our projects are always long term ones. If someone leaves for a particular reason, we learn from it and try to not reproduce the same mistakes.
— How do you prepare yourself for an important meeting/day? Are there any particular routines//Do you have a particular habit or routine before an important meeting or day?
To prepare a meeting, I usually read my notes if any or the project’s elements that I need. More importantly, I always try to keep an open mind.
— Do you attack the hard things first and save easy ones for later, or get the easy ones done at the beginning in order to focus on more difficult tasks?
It’s more efficient to start by the easy tasks in order to then focus on the more difficult ones. The worst is to do the difficult tasks first and postpone the easy ones for later, and ultimately not having the time to do them.
— What do you do in your free time?
I like to read. Playing sports with my son. Being in family. Doing cultural activities.
— Is there a particular activity that you do to cleanse your mind // Which activity cleanses your mind best?
Playing sports (particularly squash or occasionally football). When I was younger, I regularly practiced climbing, judo and football.
— What’s the best book you’ve read recently and why?
There are several, as my favorite author is Stefan Zweig for his fabulous biographies: Balzac, Magellan, Marie-Antoinette, Marie Stuart… His focus is always on psychology rather than dates, to make the reader understand the motivations of the characters he is writing about.
— Do you listen to music when working or do you prefer silence? Which kind of music allows you to best focus?
I work without music, I need silence.
— What’s one thing you cannot leave the house without?
My keys.
— What is your favorite season and why?
Spring. That’s when nature shows all its beauty. Nature revives, this is a nice season. The temperature becomes warmer without being too hot. Autumn is also nice because the nature is also very colorful although with different colors, but I would choose spring as it is a symbol of renaissance.
— What’s one of the most important things for you in life?
To see my family happy and my children successful in life.
— If you could tele transport yourself right now to one place in the world, where would it be?
A mountain. Any one. In France, I prefer the Alps than Massif Central. Or, the Himalayas. All the mountains have their own charm. They represent the power of nature while remaining still. Otherwise, Rio de Janeiro with its Sugarloaf Mountain which when at the top of it, you can watch one of the most beautiful landscape in the world.