GekeVenn: BAE

Prior to the slang definition of “before anyone else,” BAE referred to a British aerospace and defense company, the product of a merger between BAe (British Aerospace) and Marconi Electronic Systems two decades ago. Its shareholders include Invesco, BlackRock, and Franklin Templeton.

Though it's a British company, it's a bigger supplier to the US Defense Department than the UK Ministry of Defence and owns several US defense contractor companies. It's allowed to do this as long as its US subsidiaries are governed by American executives under proxy board rules. Eight years ago, however, BAE was convicted of defrauding the US government and ordered to pay a $400 million fine.

Featuring prominently in the venn is Frank Ruggiero, who was the U.S. Senior Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan from July 2010 to June 2012. And note that in-house lobbyist Morley Greene, in addition to his work on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, worked as military legislative assistant to the House Armed Services Committee Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee chairman, Rep. Mike Turner (OH-R). And in addition to being director of strategic communication for the Army, Heather Hopkins also worked as senior director for legislative affairs on the National Security Council during the Bush administration.

BAE board member Elizabeth Corley is not included on the venn, but has been a non-executive director of the UK's Financial Reporting Council, an independent financial regulator funded by the British government.

CA = Congressional Affairs