AS9100 - defining Top Management

The use of “top management” in AS9100 carries over from the ISO 9001 standard; as such the definition comes from ISO 9000. Top Management is the person or group who direct the organization at the highest level within the scope of the QMS. So, if the QMS scope is the one building you are located in, but you have a parent company in another country, then top management refers to the senior managers at the facility detailed in the scope.

You can learn more about meeting the QMS leadership requirements in this applicable 9001Academy article: How to comply with new leadership requirements in ISO 9001:2015, https://advisera.com/9001academy/knowledgebase/how-to-comply-with-new-leadership-requirements-in-iso-90012015/