JAMES WADDINGTON
Ex-Leidos UK & Europe COO | 25-Year Defence & National Security Executive
Senior Associate
Security Cleared
24 Years
Former Leidos UK & Europe COO with 25 years of leadership across defence, national security portfolios, and corporate governance.
James has over 25 years of experience in the defence sector.
He served as Chief Operating Officer for Leidos UK & Europe until October 2024. During his 18-year tenure at Leidos, he held several key leadership positions, including acting Managing Director for the National Security and Defence Division, UK Defence Portfolio Director, and Special Projects Director.
James holds a Certificate in Company Directorship from the Institute of Directors and served as a Company Director for Leidos Ltd in Cambridge from 2013 to 2018, when its legal entities merged. He sat on the Alumni Advisory Board for Imperial College Business School between 2015 and 2017 and actively serves as a STEM Ambassador, sharing technical knowledge and experience across the community.
He holds an MBA in Management from Imperial College London, an MSc in Computing Science from Birkbeck College, University of London, and a BA (Hons) in Law and Psychology from De Montfort University.
Commercial Strategy • Offset Structuring • SSCR • Sovereign Negotiation