Chair of Leading U.K. Air Taxi Manufacturer Departs

Dómhnal Slattery said Tuesday that he would step back from his role as chairman of the board.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Vertical Aerospace’s full-scale air taxi prototype transitions from hover to forward flight at Cotswold Airport (EGBP) in the U.K. in April. [Credit: Vertical Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

Vertical Aerospace's board chairman, Dómhnal Slattery, has resigned, stating it's the right moment for him to step back as the company transitions into the certification phase for its Valo eVTOL air taxi.
Non-executive board member Benjamin Story will serve as interim chair while the U.K.'s leading eVTOL developer searches for a permanent replacement.
Slattery's departure follows a busy period for Vertical, which recently completed its inaugural piloted transition flight, secured up to $850 million in financing for 2028 certification, and is managing a patent dispute with Archer Aviation.

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Vertical Aerospace, the U.K.’s leading developer of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxis, is seeking a new leader following the departure of board chairman Dómhnal Slattery on Tuesday.

Slattery in a post on LinkedIn said that although watching Vertical’s inaugural piloted transition flight in April was “one of the proudest moments of my career,” it was the “right moment for me to step back.” He added that the “next chapter belongs to the team taking Valo”—the company’s flagship air taxi, unveiled in December—“through certification.”