Finmeccanica Announces Appointment of New CEO at Oto Melara North America

Business Wire, Feb 4, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Chairman and CEO of Finmeccanica SpA, announced today the appointment of Vice Admiral James Amerault, US Navy (Ret.), Atlantic Beach (FL), as CEO of Oto Melara North America, effective immediately. With years of experience in the Department of Defense, as well as the private defense sector, Vice Admiral Amerault is well suited for the position.

"We are extremely confident that we have the right man for the job," said Dr. Guarguaglini. "With more than twenty-five years of hands-on executive experience in military and security operations, fiscal management, strategic planning and legislative relations within the Department of Defense and the private defense industry, Vice Admiral Amerault brings expertise and a unique perspective to Oto Melara."

Founded in 1905, Oto Melara, has products operating in 53 nations around the world and is known worldwide in the defense field for its high quality, technologically advanced naval weapon systems, field artilleries, armored vehicles and gun turrets. Oto Melara North America supports US naval and land defense programs from its strategic Washington, D.C. location. Since 1994, with its innovation and leadership in these fields, Oto Melara has been a valued strategic defense partner of parent company Finmeccanica, a leading industrial group committed to the defense, aerospace, transportation and energy sectors worldwide.

Vice Admiral Amerault's most recent service position was Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Readiness and Logistics. In that role he was responsible for all logistics of the United States Navy, managing a staff of 250 and resources exceeding $25 billion. He worked on developing environmental policy and compliance programs for extensive real property holdings, including airports, seaports, and three university campuses, in addition to assessing global transportation requirements.

Among a wide array of other positions and work experiences, he also served as President of Thirteenth Street Consultants, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, MELE Associates, Inc., and Senior Vice President, Director of Business development at Alion Science and Technology, Inc.

"Vice Admiral Amerault is a proven senior executive with an impeccable track record in managing large organizations," added Dr. Guarguaglini. "He is an experienced leader and skillful communicator with exceptional management, organizational and administrative skills."

About Oto Melara

Nearly 100 years old, Oto Melara has $430 million in annual sales and employs 1,300 people. The company's leading naval products include gun and missile launching systems for ships including 127mm, 76mm, 40mm, 30mm, 25 mm and 12.7mm systems; missiles and rocket launchers, ART and DART gun launched missile systems, and Vulcano long range guided munitions. Land products include turrets for the Centauro armored combat vehicle family, the Puma armored reconnaissance vehicle family, the Ariete main battle tank, and advanced turrets with a wide range of calibers for installation on other platforms.

About Finmeccanica, SpA

Based in Rome, Finmeccanica S.p.A. is Italy's largest aerospace and defense group, a key player in European industry, and has a growing position in North America.

Finmeccanica S.p.A. is listed on the Milan stock exchange. The Italian Ministry of the Economy owns 32.3% of its shares and the remainder is held by foreign and Italian investors. To maintain and develop its technological leadership position, Finmeccanica invests over 14% of its revenues in Research and Development.

Finmeccanica has a leading capability both as platform maker and system integrator: network-centric solutions, satellite services, homeland security and EEZ management systems, pilots training, air traffic management and control, C4ISR, naval combat management systems.

Finmeccanica provides systems and products for government agencies and commercial customers and its core competency are widely recognized by the market. The company's key objective is to strengthen its aerospace and defense portfolio in order to develop and exploit industrial, technological and commercial opportunities.

Finmeccanica is Italy's leading high-tech company, operating in the design and manufacture of helicopters, defence electronics, civil and military aircraft, aerostructures, satellites, space infrastructures, missiles. It plays a leading role in the European aerospace and defence industry, and participates in some of the biggest international programmes in the sector through well-established alliances with European and American partners. Finmeccanica also boasts significant manufacturing assets and skills in the Transports and Energy sectors. The Group is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, and operates in Italy and abroad through subsidiaries and joint ventures. It employs over 59,000 staff in total of which approximately 9,000 in UK, 3,500 in France and 1,600 in US. As part of its drive to maintain and build on its technological expertise, Finmeccanica spends 14% of its revenues on Research and Development.