Korean defense firm Hanwha Aerospace said Friday it has named Ben Hudson, the current CEO of Hanwha Defense Australia, to spearhead the company’s operations in Europe and the UK.
“I am honored to join our European and UK leadership team at such a pivotal moment,” said Hudson. “Hanwha’s vision is centered on building sovereign capabilities to address today’s and tomorrow’s security challenges.”
Prior to joining Hanwha, Hudson held senior executive roles at BAE Systems, Rheinmetall and General Dynamics, spending more than 15 years in Switzerland, Germany and the UK. A dual British-Australian citizen, he also served as an officer in the Australian Army and holds an MBA from London Business School.
His appointment comes as Hanwha ramps up efforts to become a trusted defense partner in Europe, delivering localized, interoperable and rapid solutions to NATO allies.
“Ben’s deep knowledge of European defense markets makes him the ideal choice,” said Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Global Defense. “This appointment marks the next phase of our multi-domestic strategy focused on trust, collaboration and shared security goals.”
Hanwha is currently involved in several major defense programs in Europe, including supplying over 800 K9 self-propelled howitzers and 290 Chunmoo rocket launchers to countries including Poland, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Romania.
The company has also delivered naval support ships to the UK and Norway, and is a key supplier of modular artillery charges to NATO partners.
hyelimchung@heraldcorp.com
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