Leonardo is proud to announce the appointment of Alessandro Profumo to the Presidency of AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD). The CEO of Leonardo will lead the organisation for the next two years, representing the largest companies and over 3,000 SMEs and associations from 18 European countries. The appointment was made on 21 September at a ‘virtual’ meeting of the Association’s Board.
“I am honoured to be given this role, which I take on with pride and a great sense of responsibility for the future. With pride because during this time of emergency, at the peak of Covid-19, the capabilities of our sector have made it possible to transfer patients, doctors, and medical equipment where it was most needed. We were able to guarantee communications, transport, monitoring, including from space, as well as physical and digital security, in Italy and across the world,” said Alessandro Profumo.
“The responsibility derives from taking on this role in a phase that poses challenges of a political, economic, social and environmental nature and which calls for a cohesive European system also at an industrial level. It is already clear today – added Profumo – that the AD&S sector will be key to many of the priorities identified in the European recovery programme: digitization, the green deal, cyber security, European as well as providing a driving force for the education system. I will work to ensure that the potential of the AD&S sector is recognised, deployed and supported with effective tools and investments, promoting a continuous and transparent dialogue with European stakeholders”.
ASD is the voice of European Aeronautics, Space, Defence and Security Industries, representing over 3,000 companies and actively supporting the competitive development of the sector in Europe and worldwide. It has direct members, active in 18 countries, including 18 major European industries and 23 National Associations. ASD members together employed more than 870,000 people and generated a turnover of €246 billion in 2018.
Leonardo, a global high-technology company, is among the top ten world players in Aerospace, Defence and Security and Italy’s main industrial company. Organized into five business divisions, Leonardo has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the USA, where it also operates through subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS (defense electronics), and joint ventures and partnerships: ATR, MBDA, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and Avio.
Leonardo competes in the most important international markets by leveraging its areas of technological and product leadership (Helicopters, Aircraft, Aerostructures, Electronics, Cyber Security and Space).
Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2019 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of €13.8 billion and invested €1.5 billion in Research and Development. The Group has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) since 2010 and became Industry leader of Aerospace & Defence sector of DJSI in 2019.
