AEROSPACE giant BAE Systems, which plans to axe nearly a quarter of its 2,000 Yorkshire staff, has appointed its chief operating officer as the replacement for outgoing chief executive Mike Turner.
BAE announced that Ian King would take over from the start of September. Last year Mr Turner said he would retire at the end of August this year.
Mr King became chief operating officer in January 2007. He was previously group strategy and planning
director, since the merger with Marconi in 1999, when BAE Systems was formed.
Dick Olver, BAE chairman, said: "Ian is a highly experienced business leader with a proven track record in our key home markets. His performance focus and depth of knowledge of the global defence industry will benefit the continued progression of the successful strategy that has been pursued by the company during Mike Turner's leadership.
"I would like to thank Mike for his committed and dedicated service over 42 years."
Earlier this year BAE announced plans to axe 600 jobs, mostly in Yorkshire. It said 450 jobs will go at Brough, the home of the Hawk aircraft, and a further 134 at Woodford, Stockport, over the next two years. Brough is one of the last plants in the UK capable of manufacturing military aircraft from start to finish.
The redundancies plan followed Brough's failure to win a key contract to supply 35 aircraft to the United Arab Emirates. Unions have vowed to fight compulsory redundancies.
The full article contains 249 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
