British-based BAE Systems plc this week named Linda Hudson president and CEO of BAE Systems Inc., the North American arm of the global company, effective immediately.
“My role will be to develop strategies going forward to work with the leaders of the two operating groups and continue to take the company forward both with organic growth and acquisition,” Hudson told Defense Daily in an interview. The U.S. business generates roughly $20 billion in sales, has 56,000 employees, in 38 states and seven countries.
The London Stock Exchange regulatory news service reported the directorate change, including a statement from BAE Systems plc Chairman Dick Olver, who said, “Linda is a proven global business leader within our organization and her promotion to this role is testament to the level of focus and high performance she has delivered while growing the Land & Armaments Operating Group into a highly successful global business.”
In the United States, BAE consists of two operating groups: Land and Armaments and Electronics, Intelligence and Support, or EIS.
“The two together this year are relatively equal in size in terms of sales,” Hudson said. “The land sector is not expected to grow going forward. After we experienced this tremendous growth over the last few years, we expect it to decline somewhat and then level off. We see the future opportunities for growth in the U.S., in the other sector [EIS], focusing on things like intelligence, cyber security, our support business and readiness and sustainment looking at energy and power management, the broader homeland security world, and national building…how do help stabilize civilian populations.”
Hudson had been president of the Land & Armaments operating group since January 2007. The largest military vehicle business in the world, she effectively doubled the size of the group’s operations with the acquisition of Armor Holdings in 2007.
Bob Murphy has been named acting president of Land & Armaments. He had been executive vice president. “Bob is very familiar with the business,” Hudson said. “We expect to make a permanent announcement quickly”
Now, as leader of U.S. operations, Hudson succeeds retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, who was appointed acting president and CEO in June. Zinni will continue to serve as chairman of the BAE Systems Inc. board.
Hudson also was named chief operating officer of the London-based parent company.
“In that capacity I sit on the Executive Committee of the corporation and my role there is to represent the interest of BAE Systems Inc. In that capacity, I report to Ian King, the CEO of BAE Systems plc,” she said.
Hudson will continue to serve on the Executive Committee and report both to BAE Chief Executive Ian King and to BAE Systems Inc. Chairman Zinni.
Today begins a period of some 100 days where the bulk of the major transition activities, both internal and external, take place, starting with Hudson meeting with her team.
“We go through a very disciplined process of engagement with stakeholders and getting feedback…talking to customers and making sure everyone knows what’s happening so they’re assured of a smooth transition and business goes on. Nothing stops while we wait for the transition to take place. I just expect we won’t miss a beat.”
Before joining BAE in December 2006, Hudson served for seven years as an officer and vice president of General Dynamics [GD] and was president of GD Armament and Technical Products. An honors graduate in Systems Engineering of the University of Florida, she began her career at Harris Corp. [HRS].
Hudson is one of the most senior female executives in the defense industry and was named this year among Fortune’s magazine’s 50 most powerful women.
“I’ve often been the first woman to have many of the jobs I’ve had and it’s just not something I dwell on,” Hudson said. “I think my record speaks for itself and I’m pleased to have the opportunity to do what I’ve done, and I’m very pleased the corporation has given me the opportunity to do this.”