Javier Solana, Head of the European Defence Agency, announced today that the EDA Steering Board has appointed Alexander Weis of Germany as the Agency’s Chief Executive from 1 October, succeeding Nick Witney, who has led the Agency since its creation in July 2004.
The Steering Board also decided that, from 1 January 2008, there will be two Deputy Chief Executives. Carlo Magrassi, currently Armaments Director of the Agency, will be in charge of strategy and Adam Sowa, the Deputy National Armaments Director in the Polish Ministry of Defence, will handle Agency operations. They will succeed Germany’s Hilmar Linnenkamp, who has served as sole deputy since the creation of the EDA.
“Nick Witney has done an outstanding job as the first head of the Agency,” Solana said. “He led the team which laid the foundations for the EDA in 2004 and, since becoming its first Chief Executive, has created a vibrant institution which has delivered substantial results and made a real difference to European defence cooperation.”
“During this time, we have seen the opening of the European defence equipment market through the Code of Conduct, the publication of the thought-provoking Long-Term Vision report, the launch of a new framework for joint R&T (the Joint Investment Programme), agreement on a strategy for the defence technological and industrial base and the start of work on a new Capabilites Development Plan,” he added.
“My deep thanks also go to Hilmar Linnenkamp, whose wisdom and experience have made a decisive contribution to the Agency’s success.”
Weis, 47, is currently Deputy National Armaments Director in the German Ministry of Defence.
“Alexander Weis has been closely involved in the work of the Agency. The Steering Board is confident that he is the right person to take forward the work which Nick Witney has started. I know that he will receive excellent support from Carlo Magrassi and Adam Sowa,” Solana said.
“It has been a privilege to lead the European Defence Agency during its first years and to see it mature so quickly into a major player on the European defence scene,” Witney said.
“But the Agency will only continue to thrive if its staff are regularly interchanged with the national Ministries of Defence who are its shareholders. I could not wish for anyone better to hand over to than Alexander,” he added.