Herman Claesen
Chair
Herman is Chair of Edgewing and Managing Director at BAE Systems plc.
Herman has enjoyed a diverse 30-year career with BAE Systems both in the UK and internationally, including Saudi Arabia, Far East and Europe. He was previously CEO Eurofighter GmbH based in Munich – Germany. He started his career as a Graduate Systems Engineer and has since been involved in leading various defence projects across the full breadth of the programme life cycle.
As Managing Director of the Future Combat Air Systems business for BAE Systems Air Sector, Herman played a significant role in leading the UK industrial effort on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), shaping the industrial framework and working with partners in Italy and Japan to establish Edgewing in June 2025.
Marco Zoff
Chief Executive Officer
Marco is Chief Executive Officer of Edgewing.
Marco joins from Leonardo where he’s been working since 2006 in a range of roles including Operations and Supply Chain Management, CEO of the services company Leonardo Global Solutions and Chief Procurement & Supply Chain Officer of Leonardo and was Chief of Staff to Leonardo CEO from 2017 to 2018. Since September 2020 Marco has been Managing Director of Leonardo’s Aircraft Division.
Marco is the first CEO of the newly created Edgewing, an international joint venture established by BAE Systems, Leonardo, and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd to lead the development a next generation combat aircraft for the Global Combat Air Programme.