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 stepped down, stating it's the right moment after the company's significant achievements and strong positioning for its next phase.
Benjamin Story will serve as interim chair as the eVTOL developer searches for a permanent replacement.
The company recently completed its inaugural piloted transition flight and secured up to $800 million in financing, putting its Valo air taxi on track for certification by 2028 despite an ongoing patent dispute.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.”