Colin Paynter
22 May 2017
Colin Paynter
Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space UK
Colin is the Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space UK Limited. Airbus Defence and Space is a division of Airbus Group formed by combining the business activities of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military. The new division is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise, the second largest space business worldwide and among the top ten global defence enterprises. It has some 4,000 employees in the UK out of a total workforce of 40,000, generating revenues of approximately €14 billion per year.
Colin studied engineering and mathematics at Loughborough University before his first position as a Control Systems Engineer with CAP Group, joining Bae SEMA and becoming Director of the Tactical Communications Systems Division. He then joined BAe Systems as Managing Director of Communications and Infrastructure Division.
He was appointed as CEO of Astrium Ltd in 2002. He was appointed to the Board of Cassidian Ltd in 2007 and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd in 2010.
Colin’s industrial career spans both the civil and military fields and he has successfully run large multi-company, multi-national programmes. His previous public appointments include governing board membership of two UK research councils and he is currently a board member of the Space Leadership Council and the Technology Strategy Board.
Colin lives in Hampshire, he is married with two children and personal interests include rugby, badminton and walking.
DID YOU KNOW: In 2015, the UK aerospace industry generated £65 billion, providing employment opportunities for over 340,000 people.
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