Feb. 22 (UPI) — BAE Systems chief operating officer Charles Woodburn will assume the role as CEO of the company when Ian King steps down from the position in July.
Ian King rose to the top position within the defense enterprise in September 2008, succeeding Mike Turner. BAE Systems says King’s retirement comes after a 40-year career in the defense industry. Company officials praised King’s tenure in a statement announcing his retirement.
“After a distinguished career, Ian will retire leaving a legacy of disciplined performance, ethical behavior, a burgeoning order book, a track record of delivering shareholder value and a strong leadership team,” BAE Systems chairman Roger Carr said in a press release.
Carr went on to credit King with growing the business and expanding the company’s defense catalogue.
“During his tenure as Chief Executive, Ian has built a world-class defense engineering and technology business, providing vital capabilities to our customers and contributing to the security and economic prosperity of the nations in which we operate,” he added.
Charles Woodburn became chief operating officer of BAE Systems in May 2016, following over 20 years of work with oil and gas companies.
BAE Systems is one of the largest defense contractors in the world. Defense News listed the enterprise as having the third-highest revenue from defense sales in 2016, behind Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.