{"id":61146,"date":"2017-12-18T18:52:58","date_gmt":"2017-12-18T18:52:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/12\/18\/industry-uneasy-over-appointment-at-british-defense-exports-agency\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:29:13","slug":"industry-uneasy-over-appointment-at-british-defense-exports-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/industry\/2017\/12\/18\/industry-uneasy-over-appointment-at-british-defense-exports-agency\/","title":{"rendered":"Industry uneasy over appointment at British defense exports agency"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Soon after the U.K. revealed plans to develop next-gen warships with export in mind, Defense News Executive Editor Jill Aitoro spoke to The U.K.’s head of the Defence and Security Organisation, Stephen Phipson about the end game.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

LONDON \u2014 A key appointment for the British government agency charged with supporting defense and security exports is expected in the new year. However, industry executives are worried the new official could fall short of the sector\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Defence and Security Organisation is looking for a new boss to replace Stephen Phipson<\/a>, who recently left the organisation to take up the post of chief executive at the U.K. engineering employers association EEF. Applications for the post recently closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Britain employs nearly 250,000 people in the defense and security sectors, and many of those people are becoming increasingly reliant on exports at a time of growing competition from overseas rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Industry executives, however, are voicing concern over the caliber of the person the Department for International Trade, which oversees DSO, is likely to attract with an annual salary of about just \u00a3120,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\t