Alan Garwood

Born in 1955, Alan joined British Aerospace in 1977 working within the Guided Missile Company, commencing his career in Export Contracts in the Middle East and subsequently in various posts in Project Management, Procurement, Strategy and Marketing.

In April 1996, Alan moved to BAe Headquarters and was appointed Managing Director, Europe and North America, in the newly created International Marketing and Sales Organisation, responsible for all British Aerospace Aircraft, Missiles and Ordnance interests in the region.

In October 1998, Alan returned to the Missiles sector joining Matra BAe Dynamics as Deputy Chief Executive where he led the team to win the BVRAAM competition with Meteor.

With the formation of MBDA Missile Systems on 01 January 2002, Alan was appointed Chief Operating Officer.

In September 2002, Alan was seconded from BAE Systems to the UK Ministry of Defence as Head of Defence Export Services, where he advised the Secretary of State and other Ministers on Defence Exports. In this capacity he led a team of 600 Civil Servants and Military who form the Defence Export Services Organisation. Key campaigns included winning the US Presidential Helicopter Programme, Typhoon for Saudi Arabia and a number of naval ship contracts.

In 2008 Alan took up his current role as Group Business Development Director, promoting company products on a global basis. He is responsible to the Chief Executive for delivering an annual order intake in excess of £15bn, adding to the current order book which exceeds £38bn. He is also a member of the Group Executive Committee, which runs the Operations worldwide.

Alan has an MBA from Cranfield, and in 2003 was made an Honorary Doctor of Science - again at Cranfield. He is also a visiting Professor at the Royal Military College Shrivenham. Alan is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Alan was awarded a CBE in the Queen's New Year Honours in December 2007.

Outside of work his interests include Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Music and Mini Coopers.

Alan has two daughters.