UK Aerospace, Defence & Security Trade Organisation Succession Plan in Place

May 16, 2011 defpro.com

A|D|S on Friday announced the beginning of a planned succession process as the UK’s national aerospace, defence, security and space trade body seeks to appoint a new head of the organisation to begin work in 2012.

This succession forms the final part of the process of establishing A|D|S following the merger of the Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers (APPSS), the Defence Manufacturers Association (DMA) and the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) in October 2009.

As a result of the transition, Ian Godden will retire from his role as Executive Chairman of A|D|S at the end of 2011 and from the related post as Non-Executive Chairman of A|D|S subsidiary company Farnborough International Limited (FIL) after the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2012. Prior to the merger, Ian Godden was Chief Executive of the SBAC, a role he took up in August 2007.

The roles of Executive Chairman and Chief Executive at A|D|S will be merged to form a single head of the organisation. Internal and external candidates will be considered for the new position. An executive search firm has been appointed and the process is being led by a nomination committee composed of officers of A|D|S. In the meantime, Ian Godden as Chairman and Rees Ward as CEO will continue to drive the organisation forward in its ambitions to promote the four highly-successful A|D|S sectors (commercial aviation, defence, security and space).

A|D|S will make no further public statement on this process until ready to announce the successful candidate, although members will be kept informed privately as appropriate.