Sir Roger Carr named as new BAE chairman

Sir Roger will replace Dick Olver, who has held the role for nine years

BAE Systems today hailed Sir Roger Carr’s skills with investors and government as the defence and aerospace contractor confirmed that its new chairman is the outgoing president of the CBI.

Although viewed as a safe pair of hands after a year that saw the collapse of a £30 billion mega-merger with Airbus manufacturer Eads, there was immediate speculation that Carr could already have one eye on replacing chief executive Ian King.

Analysts at Edison said that “having a robust succession plan” will be one of Carr’s main objectives. However, he is unlikely to be “swinging the axe from day one”.

Carr will resign the chairmanship of Centrica when he succeeds Dick Olver early next year, leaving the British Gas owner searching for a replacement. The wider public knows Carr from when Cadbury, which he also chaired, was sold to US giant Kraft in 2010, prompting concern over foreign takeovers.