Bell president and CEO Lisa Atherton has been appointed president and CEO of Bell’s parent company Textron, the company has announced.
Atherton, who has led Bell since April 2023, will assume the new role Jan. 4, 2026. She replaces Scott C. Donnelly, who has been at the helm of Textron for 17 years.
“It has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to serve as Bell’s president and CEO,” said Atherton in a press release announcing the news — which did not name a successor to lead the helicopter manufacturer.
“I have had the honor of working in a variety of businesses and functions during my eighteen-year tenure at Textron, gaining a deep understanding of our customers, experiencing our high-performing culture and growing our extraordinary talent. I am excited to become president and CEO of Textron, and I look 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.”
Following Atherton’s appointment, Donnelly will become Textron’s executive chairman, leading the company’s board of directors “and providing advice and counsel to the CEO” Textron said.
“The board is pleased to name Lisa as our next CEO after conducting a comprehensive succession planning process and believes this transition will ensure continued success for the Company,” said R. Kerry Clark, Textron’s lead director.
Prior to leading Bell, Atherton served as president and CEO of Textron Systems. Her previous experience included a number of leadership positions at Bell within military programs. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, she served eight years at the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command’s Directorate of Requirements.
“As a member of Textron’s executive leadership team for over eight years, we witnessed Lisa play a key role in driving growth across her businesses and winning critical programs,” said Clark.
“On behalf of the board, we look forward to working with her even more closely as she leads the company through this next phase of execution.”
