David King appointed director of Indra Group for the United Kingdom and Ireland
David King has been appointed the new director of Indra Group for the United Kingdom and Ireland to strengthen and develop its presence in the local markets of both countries, which are of high strategic value.
As part of the company's ‘Leading the Future’ Strategic Plan, the United Kingdom and Ireland have been identified as priority markets in which to strengthen the local structure and expand its presence. Currently, the United Kingdom and Ireland represent a business of €110 million in sales for the group, with growth based mainly on the export of projects in areas such as air traffic management (ATM), mobility and defence.
David King brings 38 years of extensive experience in the defence and aerospace sector, having worked for leading organisations such as the Royal Air Force, Metrics, Airbus, Raytheon UK and Thales. The British executive's career has focused particularly on the development of international markets, especially in the Middle East. Over the last 12 years, he has worked at senior management level in communications systems, aerospace, strategic and tactical ISR, UAVs, weapons systems and training course development, demonstrating his ability to win and deliver complex defence solutions on an international scale.
David King's main mission will be to develop the capabilities of all Indra Group divisions and key business areas in the UK&IR. This strategy seeks to evolve from the current project export model to a comprehensive local presence that will enable the company to compete with differential advantages in the local market.
David King will take on an integral role focused on three fundamental pillars: developing a local identity by creating its own offices, a governance model with a local executive committee and an independent legal structure; strengthening institutional and commercial relationships (reinforced by his recent appointment to the board of the UK Chamber of Commerce); and defining the Strategic Plan for the United Kingdom and Ireland 2025-2028, which includes the development of inorganic growth operations and the fulfilment of long-term financial objectives.
With more than two decades of experience in the UK, Indra Group has consolidated its position with more than 200 professionals and offices in various British cities. In recent years, the company has boosted its presence in the region by leading cutting-edge technology projects for prominent clients such as NATS, the UK's air navigation provider; National Highways, the entity that manages England's motorways and major roads; the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom; and in Ireland, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the National Roads Authority of Ireland; and Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail, the operator of the Irish railway system. Through Minsait, it has also been a technology provider to leading companies in the financial sector and telecommunications operators.
Thanks to the success of these world-class projects, Indra Group has positioned itself as a cutting-edge technology company in critical sectors in the region. This, combined with significant investments in Ireland and the United Kingdom, its proximity to Spain and the high qualifications of its professionals, has led Indra Group to redouble its commitment to both countries, not only to develop local projects, but also as a base for developing its activity in other English-speaking countries, such as the United States, Canada and Australia, which are key to the company's long-term strategy.
With this objective in mind and to consolidate its presence in the United Kingdom, Indra Group acquired Park Air in 2024, a British company that is a global leader in aerospace and defence communications. That same year, to strengthen its position as a global leader in air traffic management systems, the company also acquired Micro Nav, a leading company in air traffic and air defence simulators, and Global ATS, a leading air traffic control training services company in the UK market.