Lockheed Martin Appoints Daniel Mouton to Lead Middle East Operations
The leadership shift comes at a time when the Gulf region is reconfiguring its defence strategies.
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Lockheed Martin has appointed Daniel Mouton as Vice President and Chief Executive for the Middle East, marking a leadership transition that coincides with a period of accelerated defence-industrial development across the region.
Based in Abu Dhabi, Mouton will take full responsibility for the role on January 1, 2026, succeeding John “Mick” Nicholson after a structured handover.
Mouton joins the company’s International Business Development team and will oversee operations across the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Pakistan.
His background spans senior roles at Northrop Grumman — where he has served as senior director for U.S. Executive Branch Government Relations and director of international growth — as well as earlier assignments with the U.S. National Security Council, Pentagon, military, and diplomatic missions in the region. A graduate of West Point, Princeton University and the U.S. Army War College, he also brings Arabic language proficiency through the Defence Language Institute.
The appointment comes at a time when Middle Eastern governments are reconfiguring their defence strategies due to the region’s role in the nearby regions. Over the past two decades, the region has shifted from importing platforms to building indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystems. The nations are prioritising local production, advanced training, technology transfer and industrial self-reliance.
This Gulf model, focusing on both security capability and economic development, is reshaping procurement and partnerships. Governments increasingly seek collaborations that create jobs, expand STEM education through regional institutions and embed local expertise into global supply chains. As a result, the local institutes now play an important central role in R&D, systems integration and innovation.
Lockheed Martin, which has operated in the Middle East for more than six decades, is positioning itself within this shifting environment. The company maintains offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, along with permanent representation in several other markets. Its portfolio in the region spans F-16 fighter aircraft, C-130 Hercules airlifters, Black Hawk helicopters, missile defence systems, satellites, and advanced radar and command-and-control technologies.
Beyond that, Lockheed Martin’s partnerships increasingly include joint industrial projects, localisation initiatives, and long-term workforce development. Joseph Rank will continue serving as vice president and chief executive for Saudi Arabia and Africa, overseeing the company’s regional headquarters in Riyadh.
