{"id":27512,"date":"2021-01-11T09:04:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-11T09:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/11\/ceo-of-bae-systems-overcoming-hardships-for-a-better-year\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:15:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:15:14","slug":"ceo-of-bae-systems-overcoming-hardships-for-a-better-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/outlook\/2021\/01\/11\/ceo-of-bae-systems-overcoming-hardships-for-a-better-year\/","title":{"rendered":"CEO of BAE Systems: Overcoming hardships for a better year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The beginning of 2020 was an exciting time for our company; we had just announced we would acquire two high-performing new businesses out of the Raytheon and United Technologies Corporation merger<\/a>. None of us could have predicted that just weeks later, the majority of our 88,000 employees around the world would be working from home as, like so many companies, we grappled with the unprecedented impact of a global pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like all businesses, we\u2019ve experienced challenges this year, especially in the areas that support civil aviation<\/a>. We\u2019ve had to adapt and make difficult decisions, but thanks to the actions we\u2019ve taken to enhance the resilience of our business and the remarkable fortitude of our people, we\u2019ve continued to deliver on our customers\u2019 priorities while keeping our people safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While COVID-19 clearly caused disruption in the second quarter, since then most of our defense businesses have been operating with well over 90 percent of employees working. The willingness of our customers to maintain cash flow into our businesses also enabled us to support our suppliers \u2014 including small and medium-sized companies \u2014 through the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaborative partnership with our customers has been essential to the defense industry\u2019s ability to press ahead over the past year. It remains essential as we move forward through 2021 and face an uncertain global environment with complex threats. It\u2019s only by industry and government working closely, understanding each other, and maintaining trust that we\u2019ll be able to innovate quickly to outpace the threats. As governments commit to increased spending on defense in countries such as Australia, the U.K. and several European nations, the defense industry must rise to the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\t