AtkinsRéalis has appointed John Edelman, a veteran of the Canadian defence industry, as Vice-President, Defence, Canada. Based in Ottawa, he will lead AtkinsRéalis’ Defence activities across the country, as the Company delivers resilient, critical national defence infrastructure that bolsters national sovereignty.
“John joins us at an exciting time for AtkinsRéalis, as Canada’s defence spending is expected to become an increasingly important contributor to our growth,” said Simon O’Byrne, Vice-President and Market Lead, Infrastructure, Western Canada & Ontario, AtkinsRéalis. “His deep understanding of the defence ecosystem, proven leadership in complex business pursuits, and strong relationships with stakeholders across government, industry, and military organizations make him exceptionally well positioned to lead our Defence market in Canada. He will help us capture opportunities arising from major investments in Canada’s military infrastructure, national security, aerospace, and naval capabilities.”
AtkinsRéalis’ global Defence market is experiencing continued momentum, arising from rising defence spending in numerous geographies. The Company earlier announced its appointment to Babcock’s Global Engineering Services framework, as they explore opportunities in Canada’s defence market. AtkinsRéalis has also supported the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) in the UK, which Canada announced its intention to join as an observer. The Company has been a top-five supplier of Defence Construction Canada over the last five years, with an active presence on the majority of military bases in Canada. AtkinsRéalis previously provided operations and maintenance services for the Royal Canadian Navy’s minor warships and auxiliary vessels fleet.
Background on John Edelman
Mr. Edelman is a former Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aerospace engineer with more than four decades of combined military and industry experience. During his 32-year career in the RCAF, he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010-2011 with Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing. Having worked on uncrewed systems for the RCAF, he also held two leadership roles supporting the Joint Strike Fighter Program in Washington, D.C., one of the world’s most advanced defence initiatives.
Following his military service, Mr. Edelman spent 11 years with CAE, a Canadian-based global aerospace and defence company. There, he held increasingly senior business development and leadership roles in both Canada and Germany. He led the capture of CAE’s first major defence program in France, and contributed to numerous strategic international pursuits across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He most recently served as Vice-President, Business Development for CAE’s Defence & Security business in Canada. In that role, he was responsible for growth strategy, customer engagement, strategic partnerships, and major capture activities supporting the Canadian Armed Forces, the Government of Canada, as well as other allied defence customers. He was formerly a Board Director at the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada.
