AAM developer Wisk Aero has appointed Sebastien Vigneron as senior vice president of engineering and programmes, and Ricky Robinson as chief people officer.

“Wisk has established itself as a leader in the advanced air mobility industry and is on an exciting growth trajectory,” says CEO Gary Gysin. “Our people, combined with our technology, are the keys to our success. The extensive experience and expertise that Sebastien and Ricky bring to Wisk will be critical as we scale in these areas, both today and in the future.”

Vigneron will be responsible for executing the company's technical vision and roadmap, overseeing the development of current and future aircraft, and directing Wisk's engineering, certification, product management and programmes teams. He joins Wisk from Virgin Hyperloop, where he was vice president of product development engineering and chief engineer, and led the development of the Hyperloop transportation system from requirements capture through design, build and test. He has also held key leadership and technical roles at Bombardier and Dassault Aviation developing type certified aircraft from initial concept through flight testing and certification. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering from Ecole Polytechnique in France and a master's in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University.

“Joining Wisk is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform mobility in a way that is effective, accessible and sustainable,” says Vigneron. “I truly believe that all-electric, self-flying aircraft are the future of air mobility, and Wisk has been at the forefront of this technology for over a decade. I am excited to be part of this amazing journey and to help realise the promise of autonomous AAM in making aviation smarter, safer and more efficient.”

In his role as chief people officer Robinson will help facilitate the continued growth of Wisk through talent management; organisational structure and culture; diversity, equality and inclusion; and more. He has held various HR leadership roles at Nortek, Anixter International, Gap and Office Depot, and his most recent role was as vice president of HR in the Cardiovascular Portfolio at medical device company Medtronic. He is also active in the leadership of a number of nonprofits. Robinson earned a bachelor's and master's degree in organisational communications from San Francisco State University.

“Wisk is a clearly established leader in the advanced air mobility space with a real value proposition that makes it an employer of choice and a destination for talent,” says Robinson. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to help Wisk lead from the front as we continue to grow. I'm extremely excited to be part of the Wisk family and about the opportunities that we have in front of us.”