Mark Sedwill, ex-civil servant joins BAE Systems board

• Lord Mark Sedwill has been named as a non-executive director of BAE Systems.
• Sedwill served as British ambassador and NATO envoy in Afghanistan.
• Ex-national security adviser and cabinet secretary, and Home Office permanent secretary also served in civil service roles.

Lord Mark Sedwill, a former diplomat and senior civil servant, has been named as a non-executive director of BAE Systems, as rising geopolitical tensions lead to a rise in government spending on defence.

The FTSE 100 group announced on Thursday that Sedwill, who will retire from the public sector in September 2020, will begin serving on the BAE board on November 1.

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Sedwill served as British ambassador and NATO envoy in Afghanistan, Foreign Office political director, and Home Office permanent secretary.

His final positions in his career were national security adviser and cabinet secretary.

“I am delighted that Mark has agreed to join the BAE Systems Board,” said chair Sir Roger Carr. “He is globally respected and has enjoyed an outstanding public service career at the most senior level.

“He will bring well-informed geopolitical and economic perspectives to the board, as well as experience in leading large and complex organisations,” Carr added.

Earlier this year, the largest defence contractor in the United Kingdom stated that the “uncertain global environment” and “complex dangers” facing the world will enhance business and that European nations have boosted their spending on defence in recent years.

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“BAE Systems is the UK’s leading defence company and is thus central to this country’s national security and economic agenda,” Sedwill said.