▁officer ▁( CE O ) ▁of ▁Al enia ▁Mar con i ▁Systems , ▁a ▁partners hip ▁between ▁Mar con i ▁and ▁Fin me cc an ica , ▁Fin ance ▁Director ▁and ▁Deput y ▁man aging ▁director ▁of ▁Mar con i ▁Electron ic ▁Systems ▁and ▁non - Exec utive ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Mar con i ▁Company . ▁ ▁When ▁B AE ▁Systems ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁King ▁was ▁named ▁Group ▁Str ategy ▁& ▁Pl anning ▁Director . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁King ▁was ▁appointed ▁group ▁man aging ▁director ▁of ▁B AE ▁Systems ▁Customer ▁Sol utions ▁and ▁Support . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁B AE ▁Systems ▁appointed ▁King ▁chief ▁operating ▁officer ▁from ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁in ▁what ▁the ▁Fin an cial ▁Times ▁described ▁as ▁" in ▁part ... ▁to ▁improve ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Mo D ▁further ". ▁This ▁follows ▁a ▁general ▁improvement ▁in ▁relations ▁since ▁ac rim ony ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁The ▁previous ▁co - CO Os ▁were ▁Chris ▁Ge og he gan ▁and ▁Steve ▁M og ford . ▁The ▁Independent ▁described ▁King ' s ▁appointment ▁as ▁CO O ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁" su cc ession ▁battle " ▁to ▁succeed ▁B AE ▁CE O ▁Michael ▁Turner . ▁ ▁CE O ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁B AE ▁Systems ▁announced ▁that ▁its ▁CE O ▁Mike ▁Turner ▁would ▁step ▁down ▁from ▁his ▁role ▁in ▁