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Shawn is currently a member of the Executive Leadership Team and Corporate Vice President at Northrop Grumman Corporation. Shawn leads Northrop Grumman’s Enterprise Services sector, responsible for global cyber security, operations and next generation digitisation including digital design for engineering, production and manufacturing operations. Over the course of Shawn’s 25+ years of P&L responsibilities, she has led billion-dollar organisations in the areas of defence, intelligence and cyber security technical solutions in support of the warfighter and intelligence customers both domestic and global, achieving organic revenue growth and margin improvement year over year. Her experience also includes the functional integration of a multi-billion dollar acquisition. As CEO of QinetiQ US, Shawn will be responsible for the complete operations of the business while transforming QinetiQ US into a world class provider of innovative defence and security solutions.

Shawn’s extensive experience includes strategic, financial, engineering, operations and customer focused leadership positions within Lockheed Martin, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Northrop Grumman. Shawn holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Information Systems and was named as one of the Top 25 Executives to Watch in 2020/2021 by Washington Exec and a first time WASH100 winner in 2021. Shawn will join QinetiQ’s Global Leadership Team led by Steve Wadey, QinetiQ’s Group CEO and also join the QinetiQ Inc. Board.

Neil Johnson, Chairman of QinetiQ, commented:

“On behalf of the QinetiQ Group plc Board, I am very pleased to welcome Shawn to the Group. Shawn brings extensive executive level experience both in leading complex P&L organisations in the US and in integrating substantial businesses successfully. She has a proven track record for delivering programme execution, strategy and growth, and will be a significant asset to the leadership team.”

Steve Wadey, Group CEO of QinetiQ, commented:

“With more than 25 years of experience in the US defence and intelligence industry and a track record of transformational leadership, driving P&L performance of complex organisations and large scale acquisition integration, Shawn is the right leader to build our disruptive mid-tier company in the US by supporting and protecting the US warfighter. Shawn’s proven leadership skills are perfectly aligned to delivering both our short-term operational and financial performance and realising our long-term ambition to more than double the size of our US business over the next 5 years.”

Shawn Purvis, incoming President and CEO of QinetiQ US, commented:

“I am incredibly honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lead the talented and dedicated people who make up our QinetiQ US business, as we continue to deliver mission critical sensing and robotic capabilities for the US warfighter. With an ambition to build a disruptive mid-tier company in the US through both organic growth and strategy-led acquisitions, I am focused on driving both strong operational performance and executing on our growth strategy for the medium and long-term.” 

For further information please contact:

John Haworth, Group Head of Investor Relations:                                                    +44 (0) 7920 545841

Chris Barrie, Citigate Dewe Rogerson (Media enquiries):                                         +44 (0) 7968 727289