One of the country’s top business leaders is to leave Rolls-Royce, eight years after he was parachuted in as Chief Executive Officer.
Warren East CBE, an Old Monmothian and Monmouth Schools Charitable Trust trustee, has been at the helm of Britain’s aerospace champion during the most turbulent period in its illustrious history.
He will leave Rolls-Royce later this year as the company faces the challenge of moving away from fossil fuel-powered products and achieving a net zero carbon business.
“This is the biggest technological shift for the group since the arrival of the jet engine,” he said, announcing his departure on Thursday 24th February.
“It is the right moment to look to the future.”
Mr East was called off the board of directors at Rolls to take the top role at the jet engine maker after the announcement by his predecessor, John Rishton, that he was to retire after four years in the post.
In November 2018, Mr East returned to his old school to inspire the next generation of scientists.
During that visit, Mr East, who grew up near Usk, was joined by his parents and wife, Amanda, to officially open The Relithan Science Centre at Monmouth School for Boys.
The three-floor science block, which has areas dedicated to studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics, was refurbished by The Relithan Charitable Trust, established by Mr East and his wife, Amanda, a fellow engineer.
He was a pupil at Monmouth School for Boys between 1973 and 1980 and has a degree in engineering science from Wadham College, Oxford.
Mr East, now 60, built Cambridge-based microchip design company ARM Holdings into one of the world’s leading developers of semi-conductors with an outstanding record of innovation and a strong commitment to research and development.
The Old Monmothian was appointed CBE in the 2014 New Year’s Honours for services to the technology industry. Mr East became Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce in July 2015.
