THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: BAE Systems PLC has tapped Linda Hudson as chief executive officer and president of its massive U.S. operations, a move that gives her a high-profile role as the first female chief executive of a major defense contractor.
BAE Systems Inc., which has about 56,000 employees and annual sales of approximately $20 billion in 2008, is the U.S. arm of the U.K.-based defense giant. She also was named to parent company BAE Systems PLC's board and as its chief operating officer.
A longtime defense executive, Ms. Hudson had been president of BAE's land and armaments group, which makes armored vehicles and played a key role rushing thousands of blast-resistant trucks to Iraq and Afghanistan.
In June, retired Marine General Tony Zinni was named chairman of BAE Systems Inc. and had been acting as chief executive officer on an interim basis after Walt Havenstein left to run another government contractor, SAIC Inc. Mr. Zinni will remain chairman.
The move is effective immediately. >>> August Cole | Monday, October 26, 2009
