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Lisa Atherton, president and CEO of Bell, will become Textron’s next president and CEO.
Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) has announced a major leadership transition, appointing Bell CEO Lisa Atherton as its next president and CEO, effective Jan. 4.
Atherton will succeed longtime leader Scott C. Donnelly, who will assume the role of executive chairman of the board.
The appointment follows what Donnelly described as “a comprehensive succession planning process” by Textron’s board of directors.
“With over two decades of leadership experience across multiple businesses and functions, Lisa is the right leader for Textron today,” Donnelly wrote in an email to employees. “Her vibrant, focused leadership drove the execution of critical government programs and supported the long-term growth of our company.”
Atherton joined Textron in 2007 as a business development manager at Textron Defense Systems and steadily rose through the ranks. Before leading Bell, she served more than five years as president and CEO of Textron Systems, where she streamlined operations to better deliver innovative solutions to military, aerospace, and general aviation customers.
Earlier in her career, she held key roles in Bell’s military business, overseeing the strategic direction of the V-22 Osprey and MV-75 programs.
Prior to joining Textron, Atherton spent eight years with the U.S. Air Force, including time at the Air Combat Command’s Directorate of Requirements, and served as a contracting officer. She is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned an MBA from the College of William and Mary’s Mason School of Business. Atherton is also a Presidential Leadership Scholar.
Bell was founded in 1935 in Buffalo, New York, by Lawrence D. Bell, who moved the company’s helicopter production to Fort Worth in 1951. Textron acquired Bell in 1960.
Textron’s lead director, R. Kerry Clark, said the board’s decision ensures “continued success for the company.” He praised Atherton’s record of driving growth and “winning critical programs,” and noted that Donnelly’s leadership over the past 17 years had “advanced new technologies and products that bring value to our shareholders and customers.”
Atherton said she is “excited to become president and CEO of Textron” and looks forward to “working with Scott, the Board, and our global teams to bring our innovative technologies and products to our customers and create value for our shareholders.”
"It has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to serve as Bell’s president and CEO," Atherton said.
Textron Inc., headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, is a multi-industry company known for its global brands, including Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Pipistrel, and E-Z-GO.