Warren East. Sir David Warren Arthur East (born 27 October 1961) is a British businessman and engineer. He is a former chief executive officer (CEO) of Rolls-Royce Holdings, a leading UK-based engine manufacturer, and previously held senior positions at ARM Holdings and Texas Instruments.

Education
East attended Monmouth School and earned a bachelor's degree in engineering science from Wadham College, Oxford. He went on to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Cranfield School of Management at Cranfield University.

Career
After eleven years with the chip maker Texas Instruments, East left in 1994 to join ARM Holdings, the British fabless manufacturing microprocessor design and software company. At ARM he established the company's consulting business.

East later became the vice-president of business operations at ARM. Within three years he was appointed to the board as chief operating officer. East was appointed the chief executive officer of ARM Holdings in October 2001. He moved on from ARM on 1 July 2013, and was succeeded by Simon Segars.

In 2014 East became a non-executive director of Rolls-Royce Holdings and chair of the board's technology committee. In April 2015 Rolls-Royce announced that East would succeed John Rishton as CEO, when Rishton retired on 2 July.  East led Rolls-Royce through a turbulent period involving the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on Global Aviation, increased pressure to transition to net zero, and in-service issues relating to the Trent 1000. After 7 years leading Rolls-Royce he retired from the company at the end of 2022.

In January 2020, Warren East was appointed to the board of ASML Holding.

In April 2024, East was appointed the Chair of NATS Holdings, a public-private partnership that provides air traffic control services to flights within the UK.

Honours and awards
East was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours, for services to the technology industry. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2007 and a distinguished fellow of the British Computer Society (DFBCS) in 2013. Also in 2013 he presented the Higginson Lecture at Durham University. In 2017 he became a fellow of the Royal Society. He is a companion of the Chartered Management Institute (CCMI). He was awarded an honorary degree by Loughborough University in 2023 for his leadership contributions in the field of engineering and science throughout his career. East was appointed with a Knighthood (Sir) in the 2025 New Year Honours, for services to the technology industry.

Personal life
East is married with three children and lives in Cambridgeshire. His wife, Amanda, is a fellow engineer. East enjoys sailing, cycling, skiing and mountain walking, and plays the organ at his local church.

References

Living people
1961 births
People educated at Monmouth School for Boys
Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford
British chief executives
British corporate directors
Welsh mechanical engineers
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Rolls-Royce people
Arm Holdings people
Fellows of the Royal Society
Fellows of the British Computer Society
Fellows of the Institution of Engineering and Technology
Knights Bachelor