Northrop Grumman Corporation announced its CEO succession plan, naming Kathy J. Warden chief executive officer and president, effective January 1, 2019, and as a board member, effective immediately.
Pictured: Kathy Warden
Warden succeeds Wesley G. Bush, who will continue as chairman until the end of July 2019. “I am delighted that Kathy will become our company’s next CEO,” said Bush in a personnel announcement. “She has demonstrated exceptional leadership in her roles leading the operations of our company, and she brings the vision and values to lead Northrop Grumman into the future.”
Warden joined Northrop Grumman in 2008 and worked her way up the ranks, leading the company’s cybersecurity business, its information systems sector, and its mission systems sector, before taking on her current role as president and chief operating officer at the beginning of 2018.
With Warden’s appointment, Northrop Grumman will join a growing list of major defense contractors with women chief executives, including Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing Defense, and Engility.
