Interview with Grazia Vittadini

I wanted to be a pilot in the aeronautical military, but at that time they wouldn't accept women. I applied nonetheless, I was rejected. And it was at that point I thought, 'You don't let me fly them? Well, I'm going to build them.' So that's how I got into aeronautical engineering. I've asked myself what makes things work. I believe a good ingredient is being in whatever you do with your heart. You really have to find a passion for what you're doing. Every time I changed, I realized that what's important to me is integrity above all, service before self, fulfilling the idea of a greater good rather than just your own career, and a certain taste for excellence. Inclusion, diversity, and belonging are key factors without which no recipe works. The developments around autonomy and data access have transformed aviation: from a nuts-and-bolts business to one of the most data-rich industries. Longer term, high-performance computing in handshake with quantum computing will be the next revolution, together with autonomy and zero-emission propulsion. The failures worth talking about are the human component: learning to be resilient without losing your humanity. It's about getting your skin thicker but keeping your humanity because that's what connects you to people, and you'll never get anywhere alone. Airbus will never be a startup, but we can do more in calculated risk-taking while preserving our safety culture. The COVID crisis impact on women's employment is embarrassing and unacceptable. My message is not for women, but for those with a lever in their hand to really commit and stop seeing it as a risk. I've seen part-time mothers in leadership roles perform as a team of three – it's an investment with incredible returns. My inspirations: my dad and mom, Leonardo da Vinci as the quintessence of engineering, and Tom Anders, the best boss I ever had. I would definitely go into space. The barriers to access are lowering, but we must protect European sovereignty in space. Space debris in low Earth orbit may be reaching a catastrophic tipping point due to the Kessler effect. If I were to create a startup, it would focus on debris avoidance and collection. Thanks for having me, it was great to chat.