A former executive of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co NV (EAD.FR) denied a press report Thursday that he wants to organize a takeover of International Lease Finance Corp., the aircraft leasing unit of American International Group (AIG), a spokeswoman said Thursday.

Jean-Paul Gut, who was in charge of EADS' international strategy until 2007, "has not even considered it," a spokeswoman said.

A report in Thursday's edition of La Tribune, a financial daily, said Gut and John Leahy, Airbus's top salesman, were looking into a takeover of ILFC with Qatari financial interests.

Gut, who currently runs a consultancy in London, has been accused, along with other EADS and Airbus executives, of insider trading in 2006 which allowed them to cash in stock options before Airbus made public delays and cost overruns on its A380 superjumbo program. Gut has denied being privy to that information.

-By David Pearson, Dow Jones Newswires; +331 4017 1740, david.pearson@dowjones.com