Leidos [LDOS] on Tuesday said longtime Boeing [BA] executive Roger Krone will become its new CEO effective July 14, succeeding John Jumper who will continue as the company’s chairman.
Krone was head of Boeing’s $8.5 billion Network & Space Systems (N&SS) business, one of three segments that make up the company’s $33.2 billion defense division. At N&SS, Krone oversaw systems and services as diverse as electronic and information solutions, strategic missile and defense systems, space and intelligence systems, and space exploration.
At Leidos, which split from the old Science Applications International Corp., Krone takes over a $5.8 billion company that provides mission, systems integration, and professional support to the defense, intelligence and federal civilian communities, security inspection products to domestic and international customers, cyber security solutions, and logistics systems and solutions. He’s also taking over a company that is facing stiff headwinds amid constrained government budgets.
“Roger has a solid track record of operational, strategic and financial execution,” Lawrence Nussdorf, lead director of Leidos’ board of directors, said in a statement. “In addition, he has demonstrated his ability to lead organizations that serve government, intelligence and commercial customers, both in the U.S. and abroad. Roger’s depth of experience will enable him to drive the Leidos strategy, while enhancing and optimizing the company’s operational and financial performance.”
Before N&SS was created at Boeing, Krone was the vice president and general manager of its Army Systems division. Before Boeing’s acquisition of McDonnell Douglas in 1999, Krone was vice president and treasurer of McDonnell Douglas, having also held positions in information technology and financial planning at the former aerospace and defense company. Krone joined McDonnell Douglas in 1992 after a 14-year career at
General Dynamics [GD], where he held positions in program management, engineering and finance.
At Boeing, Krone has been succeeded by Craig Cooning as president of N&SS, effective July 1. Cooning had been vice president and general manager of Space & Intelligence Systems within N&SS, reporting to Krone. Now Cooning will report to Chris Chadwick, who is the CEO of the Boeing Defense, Space & Security division.
Last December, Chadwick was appointed head of Boeing’s defense division when the company appointed then defense chief Dennis Muilenberg to be vice chairman, president and chief operating officer of the corporation, making him the possible heir apparent to current Boeing Chairman and CEO Jim McNerney. Chadwick had previously headed Boeing Military Aircraft, another of the businesses within the defense division.
Jumper became the CEO of SAIC in 2012 and then Leidos after the separation. He announced in February that he would retire as chief executive once the company found a successor.
Of Cooning, Chadwick stated that “Craig has led the impressive transformation of our satellite business into the undisputed market leader. He will now help us differentiate our business through a strategy that’s rooted in affordability and deeper integration of information technology and security across our products and services.”
Cooning will also be on the board of directors of United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin [LMT], that provides rocket launch services.
Cooning, a retired Air Force major general who completed his military career as director of Space Acquisition in the Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, joined Boeing nine years ago.
Chadwick thanked Krone for his service to Boeing and added that “we wish him well going forward.”