QinetiQ appoints new Technology Solutions managing director

QinetiQ, the international defence and security technology company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Oddey as managing director of its Technology Solutions business. In this role she will focus on using QinetiQ's rich technology base to provide services and solutions to defence and other customers.

Oddey joins QinetiQ from Thales Corporation, where she is managing director of its UK Land and Joint Systems division, responsible for a team of around 1,600. She joined Thales three years ago as managing director of its Communications division.

Commenting on the appointment, QinetiQ's chief executive Graham Love said: "I am very pleased to welcome Karen Oddey to QinetiQ. She has a breadth of leadership experience and a track record of growing technology businesses which will complement the skills of our management team as we continue to grow the technology supply side of our defence business.�

Karen Oddey said: "QinetiQ has a strong reputation for delivering technology solutions into major defence programmes. This is a great opportunity to contribute to the growth of QinetiQ's technology supply business, and I am looking forward to working with QinetiQ's talented technical community to achieve this.�

Prior to joining Thales, Oddey spent 14 years with 3Com Corporation, most recently as vice president of business management and strategy for its worldwide Business Networks division. She trained as a mechanical engineer at Leeds University, where she took a first class honours degree, and has an MBA from London Business School.