The chief operating officer at European aeronautics and defence giant EADS announced his resignation today.
Jean-Paul Gut's departure follows weeks of speculation that he was about to leave to pursue interests in the Middle East, where he has brokered some of the Airbus parent firm's top deals.
"I have had disagreements with my employer on organisation," Mr Gut, an EADS board member, said in an interview with French daily newspaper Le Figaro, adding that he would receive a €2.8 million payoff.
EADS shares were up 0.8 per cent at €22.47 earlier this morning, roughly in line with the rest of the French stock market.
Le Figarosaid Mr Gut would be replaced by Marwan Lahoud (41), the head of European missiles maker MBDA.
EADS declined to comment.
"I am leaving now because, after months of discussions, I have not reached an agreement with [EADS co-chief executives] Louis Gallois and Thomas Enders on the integration of marketing, sales and strategy, which I thought was necessary to face future challenges efficiently," Mr Gut.
His resignation is the latest tremor at EADS, which has been wrestling with management changes, aircraft delays and an insider-trading investigation in the past year.