Karman Space & Defense has named longtime Lockheed Martin executive Doug Laurendeau chief growth officer, bringing decades of strategy and business development experience to support the company’s expansion across space and defense markets.
The company said Thursday Laurendeau will join its senior leadership team on May 6, succeeding Stephanie Sawhill, who will transition to the chief technologist role.
What Experience Does Doug Laurendeau Bring to Karman?
Laurendeau most recently served as vice president of enterprise strategy integration at Lockheed Martin, where he helped shape growth strategy across a $70 billion business portfolio, working closely with corporate leadership, business units and functional teams.
He previously led strategy and business development for Lockheed’s $16 billion rotary and mission systems segment, overseeing customer engagement, market analysis, competitive positioning and capture efforts across key mission areas, including Joint All-Domain Command and Control, air and missile defense, undersea systems, and aviation.
How Does the Leadership Shift Support Karman’s Growth Strategy?
Karman CEO Jon Rambeau said Laurendeau’s experience in driving growth and aligning strategy with customer demand comes at a time when market conditions are creating new opportunities for expansion.
“Karman will benefit from Doug’s strategic orientation, his decades of experience, and his relentless focus on rapid innovation and strong customer partnerships,” Rambeau noted.
Sawhill, who previously led the growth organization, will focus on advancing next-generation technologies and integrated system designs while continuing to support strategic customer engagement.
How Is Karman Positioning for Expansion Across Defense Markets?
The appointment comes as Karman continues to invest in growth initiatives across multiple domains.
The company recently expanded its maritime defense portfolio through the acquisition of Seemann Composites and MSC, adding capabilities in propulsion systems, advanced materials and acoustic coatings for naval platforms. The move enabled the establishment of a new maritime defense systems segment.
Karman has also invested in infrastructure and capacity, including a new Alabama facility designed to support end-to-end system development, manufacturing and testing for defense and space programs.
Backed by more than $500 million raised through its 2025 initial public offering, the company is pursuing additional investments to expand its portfolio of propulsion, payload and aerodynamic systems supporting over 130 space and defense programs.
