Lockheed Martin [LMT] yesterday said that James Comey, its top lawyer, will be leaving the company later this month to take a position with the financial asset management firm Bridgewater Associates, LP.
Comey, who joined Lockheed Martin in 2001 after a serving with the Justice Department, said in a statement that Bridgewater offers an opportunity for a “broader leadership role in a great business that is very different, except in its commitment to doing the right thing.” Comey has served as Lockheed Martin’s senior vice president and general counsel since 2005.
“Jim Comey is a terrific full-spectrum leader who has brought great value to our company. While we are disappointed by his departure, we understand his desire to join another company in a key leadership position with totally different responsibilities,” Robert Stevens, Lockheed Martin chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “We have a strong slate of qualified internal candidates to succeed Jim and will name his replacement in the near future.”
At the Justice Department Comey’s positions included deputy attorney general, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Richmond Division.
Connecticut-based Bridgewater has 800 employees and manages $75 billion in global investments for its customers, which include foreign governments and central banks, corporate and public pension funds, university endowments and charitable foundations.