BAE Systems has announced the appointment of Dean McCumiskey as Managing Director and Chief Executive of its India operations with effect from March 2012. Dean is currently Group Chief Information Officer based in the company’s London headquarters and will succeed Andrew Gallagher who takes up new responsibilities as BAE Systems’ Director of Audit, based in the United Kingdom.

McCumiskey will be responsible for leading the next phase of BAE Systems’ business development in India, where the defence, aerospace and security company directly employs around 100 people and has a growing presence through strategic investments in technology sharing and industrial partnerships.

In addition, two joint ventures, Defence Land Systems India (DLSI), a land systems focused company operated in partnership with Mahindra and Mahindra, and BAeHAL, a software engineering joint venture with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), together employ over 350 people.

Commenting on his new role, ahead of moving to New Delhi next month, McCumiskey said: “We have built a solid foundation in India and I look forward to broadening and deepening our involvement in the country’s growing defence and security industry in partnership with world-class Indian companies such as Mahindra & Mahindra and HAL.”

Dean McCumiskey has deep experience of the global defence, aerospace and security industry, having held senior management positions in both the US and Europe. Prior to taking up the role of Chief Information Officer, he was responsible for business winning activities in Europe, Canada and South America, leading multimillion-dollar campaigns covering the air, land, maritime and security sectors.