Top Northrop boss in UK, Europe to leave company

LONDON ― The executive responsible for leading Northrop Grumman’s business across Europe is leaving the company in the next few weeks.

The exit of U.K. and Europe chief executive Andrew Tyler has not yet been officially announced, but there is an entry in the LinkedIn account of the man who is temporarily taking over his role that reflects the change in leadership.

Ben Palmer, Northrop Grumman’s strategy and business development director for Europe, is now acting CEO while the U.S. company considers its replacement options.

Palmer’s LinkedIn account say he has been in the role since the start of the month.

A company spokesman in London declined to comment.

Tyler ’s departure brings to a close his five-year stint with Northrop Grumman.

He joined the company in the new role of CEO for the U.K. and Europe with the task of boosting the company’s business across the region.

Northrop Grumman has some significant work in Europe, but with a relatively low profile. That’s despite being a leading player in the development and manufacture of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 strike jet already purchased by a number of air forces in the region.

The company also leads the Global Hawk-equipped NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance program, provides support for the British Royal Air Force Sentry E-3 airborne early warning fleet and has a growing cyber business in the region.

Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Tyler’s most important role had been as the chief operating officer for the British Ministry of Defence’s £14 billion (U.S. $20 billion) procurement arm, the Defence Equipment and Support organization.

News of Tyler’s departure initially sparked some speculation among industry executives that he might be heading back to DE&S to fill the post left vacant by the departure last year of CEO Tony Douglas.

Sources, however, said Tyler was not in the frame for the job, but was instead believed to be moving into the construction-related business outside of the defense sector.

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