RIYADH: BAE Systems has announced plans to transfer world-class aviation technology to Saudi Arabia. The move will eventually help to expand the local aviation industry and provide more work for Saudi engineering firms and aviation companies.
“The BAE Systems is committed to transferring more aviation technology, and to provide more work for local engineering firms in order to increase the capabilities and size of the domestic aviation industry,” said Peter Wilson, managing director of BAE Systems in Saudi Arabia. Wilson was speaking at a presentation at the engineering college of Alfaisal University. The presentation was attended by Ashraff Khairi, college dean, and students.
In his lecture, Wilson explained how BAE Systems as a company had managed to register 100 inventions last year. He also spoke about the challenges of managing an organization like BAE Systems with a high performance culture. “Our people make products and this makes BAE Systems a leading high-tech engineering company,” he added. “However, sustaining the high-tech and high-performance culture is the most difficult task,” he noted. He said, “A successful manager needs to be able to develop a business culture where a high performance culture permeates everything we do everyday.” He stressed the need for training, the need for a variety of courses for specialization, and the opportunities to practice skills. BAE Systems, he said, had processes to reinforce performance, such as the operational framework, corporate governance, health and safety and a code of conduct.
“To constantly perform, we need to have the right people and consequently the company recruits graduates across a number of disciplines every year,” added Wilson. Today, BAE Systems ranks as the premier global defense, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems’ sales exceeded $34.4 billion in 2008. In Saudi Arabia, 4,600 people work for BAE Systems and over half of them are Saudi nationals.
