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Press Media Wire (Press Release) - Mar 10,2009 - (PressMediaWire) -- Following a long and distinguished career in Canada’s defence
industry, General Dynamics Canada President John Watts has announced
his retirement.
Recognized as an industry leader in Canada and beyond, since his
appointment as President in 2002 Mr. Watts led the organization through
an unprecedented period of growth and expansion. Under his leadership,
the company achieved significant success with key programs and product
lines including the Maritime Helicopter Project, Aurora CP-140 program,
introduction of the Vital Point Bio Sentry system, and the significant
growth of GD Canada’s vehicle electronics business. During his tenure as President, General Dynamics Canada’s employee
base doubled and the company was regularly recognized as one of
Canada’s Top 100 Employers. In 2008, the company expanded its corporate
footprint in Canada with the opening of a new Maritime In-Service
Support Centre of Excellence in Halifax. Mr. Watts announced his retirement during a personal address to more
than 2000 General Dynamics Canada employees following his thirty-two
year career at General Dynamics Canada and its predecessor company,
Computing Devices Canada. He will remain with the company during a
transition period to provide support to the incoming management. Mr. Watts will retain an active role in the defence industry,
continuing to serve as Chairman of the Canadian Association of Defence
and Security Industries (CADSI) David Ibbetson Appointed General Dynamics Canada General Manager and Vice President of General Dynamics C4 Systems David Ibbetson has been appointed General Manager of General Dynamics Canada and Vice-President of General Dynamics C4 Systems.
Mr. Ibbetson brings to his new position more than 20 years of
international executive and engineering expertise with multinational
organizations, including Vickers Defence Systems, now part of BAE
Systems Land and Armaments Group, and Alcatel. Within General Dynamics Canada, Mr. Ibbetson most recently led the
Air and Naval Systems business unit where he had executive
responsibility for the company’s suite of maritime and airborne
programs and solutions. Prior to that, Mr. Ibbetson’s strong
operational and customer focus resulted in significant growth and
expansion of GD Canada’s Vetronic Systems business unit on the US
armoured vehicle fleet. Mr. Ibbetson joined General Dynamics Canada in 1996. He holds a
Master of Science in Advanced Experimental Physics from the University
of Northumbria and a Master of Business Administration from the
University of Ottawa. SOURCE: General Dynamics Canada
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