Top 10: Supply Chain Leaders in Aerospace and Defence

In an industry as important to the world’s safety as aerospace and defence, it is necessary that those leading the industry’s supply chains are striving to meet innovation and sustainability.

These experts use their keen logistics knowledge and their thorough understanding of manufacturing operations to ensure total supply chain efficiency – that way, parts going into the planes and other defence equipment is of the highest quality.

Here at Supply Chain Digital, we look at those who are demonstrating admirable supply chain leadership qualities in some of the biggest aerospace and defence companies. 

10. Edward Dunn

Job Title: Vice President, Global Supply Chain
Company: RTX
Revenue: US$80.7bn

Edward Dunn is the Vice President of Global Supply Chain at RTX, bringing 20 years of VP supply chain experience to the role. Edward has a Bachelor of Science, and studied in the International MBA Program at Purdue University. 

RTX is an aviation and aerospace component manufacturing company comprising three businesses - Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon and Collins Aerospace. Edward brings his thorough understanding of operations management, strategic sourcing and supply chain management to this role.

9. Milind Ingale

Job Title: Senior Director - Global Supply Chain
Company: GE Aerospace
Revenue: US$38.7bn

Milind Ingale is the Senior Director of Global Supply Chain at GE Aerospace. This company is a provider of jet and turboprop engines and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft.

Milind has over 25 years of supply chain experience, from being an initial buyer and a site sourcing leader, to Senior Director of a global business. He oversees the efficient running of manufacturing operations, material sourcing and trade compliance.

8. Sarah Corkran

Job Title: Vice President of Global Supply Chain
Company: Northrop Grumman
Revenue: US$8.7bn

Sarah Corkran became the Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Northrop Grumman in 2023, where she works towards improving supply chain performance. She does this by leading direct category management enablement and in-country international sourcing. 

Sarah has worked in various states throughout the US whilst working for Northrop, making her way up the supply chain leadership pathway. 

Northrop Grumman is partnered with 12,000 suppliers and is supported by approximately 5,000 supply chain professionals in order to work more effectively in creating defence systems.

7. Eric Filion

Job Title: Executive Vice President, Programs & Supply Chain
Company: Bombardier
Revenue: US$8.7bn

Eric Filion returned to BOMBARDIER as Executive Vice President, Programs & Supply Chain in 2023, having worked there for nine years from 2007-2016. He has worked in the aerospace industry for more than 20 years, having gained operational roles across a range of sectors including engineering, product development and customer relations. 

Bombardier is an aviation and aerospace manufacturing company in Quebec, with a worldwide fleet of approximately 5,000 aircrafts in service. His teams have seen major success due to Eric’s strategic sense and visionary approaches.

6. Julie Brettell

Job Title: Supply Chain Director
Company: UK Ministry of Defence

Julie Brettell has been the Supply Chain Director of the UK Ministry of Defence since 2023. Julie has worked within supply chain and procurement for 35 years, with experience in manufacturing and defence. She specialises in E2E supply chain, procurement & commercial transformation and leadership & strategy. 

Julie leads the strategic transformation through the Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme (DSCCP), believing collaboration is the key to strength and success. The DSCCP is a programme which develops supply chain resilience across the MoD.

5. Brian Kline

Job Title: Director Supply Chain Management
Company: Boeing
Revenue: US$66.5bn

Brian Kline is the Director Supply Chain Management for Boeing. Having worked at Boeing for almost 18 years, he has worked his way up through the supply chain to become Director in 2022. Brian has a focus on the defence and security division, Phantom Works.

Boeing Phantom Works is the research and development arm which focuses on developing highly classified advanced military products. Brian’s six years within the Phantom Works branch has seen an immense development of supply chain strategy.

4. Chandan Dada

Job Title: Director of Supply Chain Operations
Company: Leidos
Revenue: US$16.7bn

Chandan Dada is the Director of Supply Chain Operations at Leidos, which he has held since February 2025. He brings almost 30 years of supply chain management experience to this role, having worked over a range of sectors including IT consulting, chemical manufacturing and defence. 

Chandan balances data driven decisions with real-time market conditions, ensuring he keeps his company up-to-date. He has influenced the transformation of leadership teams by focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion.

3. Patrick B. Saigal

Job Title: Vice President Integrated Supply Chain Operations (CSCO)
Company: Rheinmetall
Revenue: €9.7bn(US$13.1bn)

Having joined Lockheed Martin in 2019, Abby Lilly has been the CSCO since 2024. She believes that mitigating supply chain risk and sustainability go hand in hand. As a result, she works to integrate environmental stewardship and social responsibility into her work across global supply chains.

Lockheed Martin specialises in solutions which strengthen national security and push technology to new levels. As a company, it believes that collaboration is the key to success, a factor which Abby considers whilst expanding her relationships across Lockheed’s supply chain.

1. Ann Ackerson

Job Title: Chief Supply Chain Officer
Company: BAE Systems
Revenue: £26.3bn (US$35.3bn)

Ann Ackerson has served as the CSCO for BAE Systems since March 2025, having joined the company in 2020. She is responsible for a resilient and effective global supply chain and works hard to implement strategies that deliver a competitive advantage through BAE’s value chain.

Anne recognises that strong teams are developed as a result of environments where people can be challenged and rewarded, so works to foster innovation within BAE Systems’ teams. She has held supply chain leadership positions across a range of industries for more than 30 years, bringing a wealth of success to BAE Systems.