The President of Finmeccanica Pier Francesco Guarguaglini resigned, while the Italian advocacy group is the center of a corruption scandal, said on Thursday a source familiar with the matter.
The information was confirmed by the group a few minutes later.
The Board has appointed the current Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Orsi Group to replace him, the source added which states that it will combine the two functions.
The group is weakened by an investigation into suspicions of corruption that affects some of its most senior officials.
The Italian government is a shareholder of the group of aerospace and defense to the tune of 32% and this scandal is the first figure of political test for the new government led by Mario Monti.