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LONDON — Sir Kevin Tebbit is to step down as chairman at Finmeccanica UK, the company announced Aug 1.
Tebbit, who had previously been the most successful permanent secretary of recent times at the Ministry of Defence, served a five-year stint at the Italy-based company’s British operations.
He will be replaced in his role as chairman by Allan Cook, the one-time chief executive of leading British systems supplier Cobham. Cook has been chairman of Finmeccanica’s Italy-based Selex Galileo arm since 2011.
Cook also was named chairman of a new Finmeccanica business being created from the merger of Selex Galileo, Selex Elsag and Selex Sistemi Integrati. The merged company becomes operative on Jan. 1. Current Selex Galileo Chief Executive Fabrizio Giulianini will become CEO of the new company.
Cook will retain his position as chairman of British engineering and design consultancy WS Atkins.
Tebbit will continue to work on the boards of Finmeccanica operating companies in the U.K., and will focus on exports.
Finmeccanica UK currently exports 700 million pounds ($1.1 billion) of its 2 billion-pound annual turnover.
The company produces helicopters, airborne radars, electronic warfare, cyber and other systems in the U.K.
