Embraer said on April 6 that Antonio Carlos Garcia has stepped down as Executive Vice President of Finance and Investor Relations to take the same role at Azul Linhas Aéreas, one of the manufacturer’s main customers.
Garcia will become Azul’s Chief Financial Officer and Investor Relations Officer, with his appointment effective April 20, subject to board approval. He replaces Alexandre Malfitani, one of the airline’s founders, who is leaving the position after helping build Azul’s financial structure and strategy.
At Embraer, Garcia had served as CFO since January 2020. The company said Chief Executive Officer Francisco Gomes Neto will assume the finance role on an interim basis until a successor is appointed.
Garcia’s tenure covered a turbulent period for Embraer, including the collapse of its commercial aviation joint venture with Boeing and the effects of the pandemic on global demand. He also oversaw the company’s financial recovery and engagement with capital markets in recent years.
Azul is emerging from a Chapter 11 restructuring process initiated in May 2025, which led to a significant reduction in its debt burden, particularly through the renegotiation of aircraft lease liabilities. The airline is now repositioning its financial structure as it moves into its post-restructuring phase.
Azul said Garcia brings experience from both industry and international finance roles, including positions at ThyssenKrupp, ZF Group and Siemens.
Embraer ended 2025 with a firm order backlog of $18.7 billion and delivered 64 commercial aircraft during the year, with the segment accounting for roughly 60% of its revenue.
