Newcastle: Global security company increase jobs at site
Leonardo hired an additional 1,400 people in 2024, with 450 of these on early career schemes such as its apprenticeship programme.
The company’s full-year results, released yesterday, showed ‘substantial growth’ in orders, revenues, and earnings before interest, taxes, and amortisation (EBITA) over the past 12 months.
This reflects the increasing demand for the advanced technology produced by the company to address escalating security threats to the UK and its allies.
Roberto Cingolani, CEO and general manager of Leonardo, said: “All of this enables Leonardo to increasingly play a leading role in the global aerospace, defence, and security industry, with a growing ability to catalyse new alliances and establish a presence in strategically significant global programmes.
“The past year has also been significant in our progress in the field of sustainability.
“Leonardo is increasingly proving itself to be a company capable of attracting young talent, being inclusive, driving innovation, and improving its environmental impact.
“This is a substantial commitment that involves the entire company and its partners.”
The results also highlighted several important sustainability milestones achieved throughout the year, including the validation of decarbonisation targets by the Science Based Targets initiative and the UNI/PdR125:2022 certification for gender equality.
Leonardo was also confirmed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI World and DJSI Europe) for the fifteenth consecutive year.
In the UK, Leonardo’s growth is being driven by strong performance in combat air, a robust rotorcraft business in Yeovil, and significant growth in cyber security.
A report by independent analysts Oxford Economics, published in 2024, showed Leonardo’s growing impact on the UK economy, with annual research and development spending more than doubling since 2018 to nearly Β£500 million.
Leonardo’s cutting-edge research in the UK includes artificial intelligence (AI) and data fusion, autonomy and advanced manufacturing, and modelling and simulation technologies.
These advances are supporting Leonardo UK’s involvement in major international programmes such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), as well as its ability to design and develop new offerings in cyber security and uncrewed rotorcraft.
With nine sites around the UK, including in Newcastle, Leonardo contributes Β£2.5 billion to UK GDP.