Embraer has revealed chief executive Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva will step down on April 22nd, following the end of his current two year elected term.

The move follows shareholder approval for a wide-ranging tie-up with Boeing.

“Paulo Cesar idealised the partnership with Boeing and led the negotiation process of the transaction that will bring Embraer and Brazil to a much more competitive and prominent level in the global aviation industry,” said Alexandre Silva, chairman of the Embraer board.

Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva has been leader of commercial aviation at the Brazilian company for six years and launched the E2 Program, the medium-sized commercial jets considered today to be the most efficient in the market.

In 2016, he became chief executive of the Embraer Group, with a mission to make the company more efficient, competitive and better prepared to face structural changes in the global aviation market.

“Without the support of the board and Embraer’s 18,000 employees and colleagues, none of our achievements would have been possible,” noted de Souza e Silva.

“We are challenged to remain at the forefront of engineering and operations.

Paulo Cesar has been invited to be a senior advisor to the board, with the task of facilitating the integration of the future president and chief executive.

The next chief executive is expected to be recruited externally and announced at the annual general meeting in April.