Wesley Bush. Credit: Northrop Grumman

Ronald Sugar, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. since 2003, will step down at the end of the year. Wesley Bush, Northrop’s president and chief operation officer, will take over as chief executive. Lewis Coleman will lead Northrop’s board of directors as a non-executive chairman.

Sugar, who has been with Northrop Grumman and its legacy companies for 29 years, will continue advising the company until retiring in June.