Today global security company Leonardo released new figures confirming significant jobs growth at its nine sites across the UK, including its site in Edinburgh. Leonardo hired an additional 1,400 people to work at its UK sites in 2024, including 450 on early careers schemes such as its top-rated Apprenticeship programme.
The company’s full year results, issued yesterday, showed orders, revenues and EBITA growing significantly over the last 12 months, reflecting how the advanced technology produced by the company is increasingly being called on to address intensifying security threats to the UK and its allies.
“All of this,” said Roberto Cingolani, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo, “enables Leonardo to increasingly play a leading role in the global Aerospace, Defense, and Security industry, with a growing ability to catalyse new alliances and establish a presence in strategically significant global programs”.
“The past year,” he concluded, “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 showed several important sustainability milestones were 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, growth at Leonardo is being driven by:
- Strong performance in combat air (Leonardo UK is a core partner in both the Eurofighter Typhoon and Tempest/Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
- A good underlying rotorcraft business at “the Home of British Helicopters” in Yeovil.
- Significant growth in cyber security.
A report by independent analysts Oxford Economics published in 2024 showed the growing impact of Leonardo to the UK economy, with annual R&D spend more than doubling since 2018 to nearly £500 million.
Cutting-edge research conducted by Leonardo in the UK includes Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data fusion, autonomy and advanced manufacturing, modelling and simulation technologies. These advances are underpinning 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 Edinburgh where the company is currently recruiting for high-quality jobs – Leonardo contributes £2.5Bn to UK GDP.
