Columbia Helicopters appoints new President and CEO
Melanie Bergier previously served as the company’s COO, and also brings years of experience in the aerospace sector to the role
Aviation services provider Columbia Helicopters has appointed Melanie Bergier as its new President and CEO.
Bergier previously served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), playing a key role in strengthening its operations and services worldwide. Columbia is a leading business in the heavy-lift helicopter services space, including aerial firefighting.
Prior to joining Columbia, she previously served as Vice President for Strategy, Transformation, and Sustainability at Airbus Americas and Airbus Helicopters North America.
Bergier also holds an engineering degree from the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers, and an MBA in Strategic Management and Business Improvement from HEC Paris.
“Having served as COO, I have seen firsthand the incredible dedication of our people, and I am more committed than ever to our employees, our customers, and our shared mission,” said Bergier.
She added: “I feel a profound personal accountability for our success and for ensuring we consistently exceed customer expectations. By staying rooted in safety, integrity, and operational excellence, we will continue to lead the heavy-lift community across both MRO and Flight Operations.”
Bergier replaces previous President and CEO David Balevic, who has served in the role since 2024.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.