Name: Sir Roger Carr

Was: Chairman of Cadbury

Now: Chairman designate of BAE Systems

Career background: Sir Roger held a variety of management roles with Honeywell Computers and Williams and was chairman for Chubb, Bass and Thames Water before joining the then Cadbury Schweppes as a non-executive director in January 2001. He was appointed deputy chairman in December 2002, and in February 2008 moved up to chairman when Cadbury and Schweppes demerged. He was chairman throughout the company’s acquisition by Kraft Foods, before stepping down in 2010.

What is he doing now? Last month, Sir Roger was named chairman designate for BAE Systems. He will become a non-exec on 1 October, before taking over from Dick Olver as chairman in the first quarter of 2014. BAE director Nick Rose said: “Sir Roger was the clear choice. He is an outstanding candidate with two decades’ board-level experience at the top of UK industry.”

Biggest achievement: In January 2011, he was knighted for services to business. Sir Roger is a member of the PM’s Business Advisory Group and was CBI president from 2011 to 2013. He is deputy chairman and senior independent director of the Court of the Bank of England. He is also a senior adviser to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and a trustee of the Landau Forte Charitable Trust.

What next: BAE Systems is a role Carr is relishing. “I feel privileged to be offered this role and look forward with real enthusiasm to working with the board in shaping the future of this great company,” he said. “The company has a remarkable heritage for innovation and technology. It is well-positioned in a rapidly evolving industry to face uncertainties around defence budgets and has great opportunities in new geographies and technologies.”