Lorenzo Mariani

Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Leonardo

Search every verified Lorenzo Mariani interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Lorenzo Mariani, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo, stated in a July 2026 interview with Al Arabiya Business that Saudi Arabia is one of the company's most important strategic markets in the defense industry sector. He said that recent conflicts, including those in Ukraine and the Middle East, have highlighted the need for nations to invest in readiness, technology, and industrial development. Mariani noted that Leonardo has long-standing partnerships in Saudi Arabia involving the Eurofighter, helicopters, and electronics, and he indicated that future collaboration could expand into co-production and joint development of technologies for extended air defense. In a June 2026 interview at Eurosatory, Mariani discussed his focus on accelerating production and meeting new requirements driven by the geopolitical situation. He highlighted Leonardo's activities in rotorcraft, including the first flight of the Fenix 249 attack helicopter, and emphasized the importance of the air defense domain, including work through the joint venture MBDA. Mariani also stressed the need for interoperability and interchangeability within NATO, arguing that subsystems should be built to common standards through shared requirements and development.