Jerry Petersen 
Lisa Atherton has taken on the role of president and CEO of Textron and has been named a member of its board of directors. The company said on LinkedIn that the appointment went into effect on Jan. 4.
Atherton succeeds Scott Donnelly, who had led Textron since late 2009 and now serves as executive chairman of the company’s board.
Who Is Lisa Atherton?
Atherton brings to her new position nearly 20 years of leadership experience across the various businesses of Textron. Most recently, she served as president and CEO of aerospace company Bell, one of Textron’s subsidiaries. Earlier, she had served as president and CEO of Textron Systems, another subsidiary.
On LinkedIn, Textron touted not only Atherton’s track record within the conglomerate but also how her “vision and commitment to excellence” put the organization in a position “for continued success across our diverse global operations.”
When Was Textron’s CEO Change Announced?
Her selection as the next Textron chief executive was announced in October 2025. Commenting on her appointment at the time, Atherton said she was excited to take the helm at Textron and work with its teams “to bring our innovative technologies and products to our customers and create value for our shareholders.”
For his part, then-outgoing CEO Donnelly said, ”It has been an honor to serve as Textron’s CEO. With the board’s support, I have had the opportunity to shape the business and develop a talented team for the future. I am looking forward to working with Lisa and the company in my role as executive chair.”
