James Gray to become new chief executive and managing director of Raytheon UK

Raytheon UK, part of RTX’s Raytheon business, announced on 14 May 2024 the appointment of James Gray as its new chief executive and managing director, effective from 1 June 2024.

Since 2018 Gray has served as the managing director of the company’s Cyber, Space & Training business, where he has secured significant growth building enduring sovereign capabilities.

He succeeds Jeff Lewis, who is retiring after serving in the role for the past four years.

“I am looking forward to taking on this role and thank Jeff for his leadership. He has driven topline growth during his tenure which I intend to continue,” Gray was quoted as saying in a company press release. “I joined Raytheon UK in 2009 and have seen first-hand the critical role that our people and technologies play in securing the UK, stretching back over a century.”

“As a longstanding strategic partner, our contribution to UK aerospace and defence is expansive,” Gray added. From our manufacturing sites in Scotland and space hubs in the northeast, to the provision of software services and development in Manchester and Gloucester, and our aerospace engineering capabilities in north Wales, I’m proud to be leading a business that is providing security and securing high-skilled jobs across the UK.”

“We are delighted that James has agreed to succeed Jeff and will accelerate the business’ long-term growth,” said Chander Nijhon, vice president of Systems, Strategy and Global Operations for Raytheon. “His passion for innovation and technological advancement, coupled with his focus on building an inclusive leadership culture, will continue to see Raytheon UK advance as a strategic capability and delivery centre for Raytheon.”

A fully owned subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, Raytheon UK has over 1,700 employees and is a major supplier and systems integrator for the UK Ministry of Defence that designs, develops and manufactures defence and space products. It can trace its lineage back to A C Cossor Company, which built radios and televisions in the 1920s and 1930s. More crucially, Cossor was selected by the Air Ministry to build the critical receiving units and operator displays that made Britain’s Chain Home air defence radar network usable. As the first operational air defence radar network in the world, Chain Home played a vital role in the 1940 Battle of Britain, allowing Royal Air Force pilots to be vectored into position to engage incoming Luftwaffe raids.