Hanwha Group has recruited former Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, a U.S. Navy rear admiral and former program executive officer overseeing the Navy's ship programs, as president of the shipbuilding business at its U.S. subsidiary. It is the fourth hire from the U.S. government and military since December last year.
According to Hanwha on the 13th, Tom Anderson, who served as a U.S. Navy rear admiral and ship program manager, has joined as president of the shipbuilding institutional sector at Hanwha Defense USA in the United States. President Anderson will be responsible for Hanwha's U.S. shipbuilding business and shipyard operations, and will also lead future strategy development, and infrastructure and workforce build-out.
Anderson served 34 years in the U.S. Navy as program executive officer (PEO), ship manager, and acting commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). There is also analysis that, given his experience overseeing U.S. Navy ship acquisition, sustainment, and modernization, he will help expand orders for U.S. Navy vessels.
In September last year, he visited the domestic research and development (R&D) facilities of Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai to review the technological capabilities of the special ship business institutional sector.
In September, Hanwha Group hired Alex Wong, former U.S. deputy national security adviser who worked on security policy such as defense and international relations at the White House, appointing him as the group's global chief strategy officer (CSO). Roger Camp, a senior director at Hanwha Defense USA hired in Dec. last year, and Michael Coulter, president overseeing overseas business, are also former U.S. Navy.
Hanwha acquired Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, United States, at $100 million (about 142 billion won) at the end of last year and is expanding its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) business for U.S. naval vessels.