Kurt Amend, president of Raytheon‘s (NYSE: RTN) operations in Saudi Arabia, has been named CEO of the Raytheon Arabia business.
The company said Sunday the nearly three-year public and private sector veteran will oversee the unit’s business strategy and execution of defense-related projects in the Middle Eastern country.
Amend’s appointment comes two months after President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud signed a potential $110 billion weapons sales deal.
Raytheon also signed a memorandum of understanding with the state-owned Saudi Arabia Military Industries Company in May to partner on defense and technology development initiatives through Raytheon Arabia.
Amend served as vice president of foreign policy and national security affairs at the Waltham, Massachusetts-based contractor’s international business before he was appointed president of Saudi Arabia operations in September 2016.
His government career has included positions at the State Department, the National Security Council and the Defense Department.
Amend will also become a member of Raytheon Arabia’s board of directors alongside other senior executives including:
- John Harris, CEO of Raytheon International
- Wes Kremer, president of integrated defense systems
- Dave Wajsgras, president of intelligence, information and services
- Kimberly Ernzen, vice president of land warfare systems
- Tom Laliberty, vice president of integrated air and missile defense
- Stephen Murphy, vice president of contracts within Raytheon’s integrated defense systems arm
