Leonardo Velazquez

About Leonardo Velazquez

Senior Quality Leader with 15+ years of experience in the aerospace industry, including engineering, customer quality, and leadership roles. Currently leading a team of 8 Customer Quality Managers across multiple sites, driving customer satisfaction, resolving complex escalations, and strengthening relationships with key OEM customers.Proven track record of translating quality strategy into measurable business results, including reduction of cost of poor quality (COPQ), improved customer performance, and enhanced operational alignment across engineering, operations, and supply chain.Experienced in managing high-visibility customer environments, leading cross-functional teams, and influencing decision-making at multiple levels of the organization. Recognized for building strong teams, developing talent, and delivering results in complex, global environments.Holds dual Master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Business Administration, combining strong technical expertise with business and leadership acumen.International professional background across the United States, Mexico, France, and Germany, with a passion for continuous improvement, leadership development, and global collaboration.

Experience

1. Sr Manager of Quality

   Safran Electronics & Defense, Avionics USA, LLC.

   Dec 2021 — Present · Irvine, CA, US

   Senior Quality Leader and member of the company Leadership Team, responsible for driving quality strategy, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement across multiple locations. Currently leading a distributed team of 8 Customer Quality Managers across multiple sites.Accountable for the deployment and execution of the Quality Management System in alignment with AS9100 requirements, corporate policies, and aerospace industry standards, ensuring operational excellence, compliance, and customer satisfaction.Leads cross-functional initiatives focused on continuous improvement, advanced problem-solving, and operational performance enhancement through Lean Six Sigma, QRQC, and structured tiered management systems.Acts as key interface with strategic aerospace customers, managing escalations, strengthening relationships, and ensuring alignment between customer expectations and internal execution.Drives development of stable, efficient, and compliant quality and manufacturing processes, with focus on reducing cost of poor quality (COPQ), improving DPPM, and enhancing overall business performance.Mentors and develops quality engineering talent across multiple locations, building high-performing teams and strengthening organizational capability within the Quality function.

Education

• Universität des Saarlandes

  Internship, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering

  2008 — 2009

• Jack Welch Management Institute

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Business Administration, Management and Operations

• ISAE-SUPAERO

  Advanced Master, Aeronautical Engineering

  2015 — 2016

• Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

  Bachelor's degree, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering

  2004 — 2010