GE Aerospace Leadership
GE Aerospace Leadership
H. Lawrence Culp, Jr.
Chairman and CEO
H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GE Aerospace.
Biography
Larry joined the GE Board of Directors in April 2018, and was appointed CEO of GE in October 2018. In June 2022, he assumed additional duty as CEO of GE Aerospace and became Chairman & CEO of GE Aerospace when it launched as a public company in April 2024. He also serves as the non-executive Chairman of GE HealthCare.
As Chairman and CEO of GE, Larry led the industrial technology company’s multi-year financial and operational transformation. During his tenure, GE strengthened its balance sheet, reduced debt by more than $100 billion, grew profit by 20%, more than doubled adjusted earnings-per-share, and more than quadrupled its market capitalization. Under his leadership, GE further focused the company’s portfolio and simultaneously improved operations across its businesses by implementing and adopting lean with a relentless focus on safety, quality, delivery, and cost—in that order—to better serve customers.
These efforts built a strong foundation for the successful creation of three independent, investment-grade public companies—GE HealthCare, GE Vernova and GE Aerospace—that, to date, collectively have increased shareholder value nearly fivefold. Each company is an industry leader with more than $19 billion in annual revenue, extensive global installed bases, and a strong services orientation.
Prior to joining GE, Larry spent 25 years at Danaher Corporation, including serving as President and CEO from 2001 to 2014. During his tenure, the company increased both its revenues and market capitalization fivefold.
Larry joined Danaher in 1990 at Veeder-Root, becoming President in 1993. He was appointed Group Executive and Corporate Officer in 1995, with responsibility for Danaher’s Environmental and Electronic Test and Measurement platforms while also serving as President of Fluke and Fluke Networks. He was named Executive Vice President in 1999, Chief Operating Officer in 2000, and President and CEO in 2001.
Investors and analysts consistently rank Larry as one of the top CEOs in annual Institutional Investor surveys, Harvard Business Review named him one of the Top 50 CEOs in the world, and Barron’s has named him one of the Top 25 CEOs in the world five times since 2020.
Larry is a member and the immediate past chair of the Board of Visitors and Governors of his alma mater, Washington College, and also serves on the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees. Previously, Larry was a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, where he focused on leadership, strategy and general management in the MBA and executive education programs.
A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Larry earned a B.A. in Economics from Washington College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mohamed Ali
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology & Operations Officer
Responsible for product safety, quality, global manufacturing, supply chain and commercial engineering for GE Aerospace.
Biography
Mohamed Ali is Senior Vice President and Chief Technology & Operations Officer for GE Aerospace. In this role he oversees product safety, quality, global manufacturing, supply chain and commercial engineering for GE Aerospace.
In 2010, Mohamed joined GE Aerospace as the systems leader for Aero Derivatives, followed by roles of increasing responsibility including mechanical systems design section leader, systems leader for CF6 and the general manager for performance and analytics where he pioneered the use of analytics-based maintenance and robotics technology in Services Engineering. After a one-year assignment on the business cost mission-based team leading cost cutting across the business, he was promoted to general manager for Services Engineering in 2018. In 2019, he was named an officer of the General Electric Company.
Mohamed began his GE career in 1997 as a research scientist at the Global Research Center in Niskayuna, NY. At GRC, he progressed through several roles including master blackbelt leading low emission power generation, and program manager developing innovative magnetic bearings, prior to taking the general manager role for advanced technologies in GE’s Oil and Gas business where he delivered numerous advancements such as subsea compressors.
Mohamed earned his PhD from Cornell University.
David Burns
Chief Information Officer
Responsible for leading the Digital Technology function and driving GE Aerospace's digital industrial strategy.
Biography
David Burns is the Chief Information Officer for GE Aerospace. Named to this role in March 2018, he is responsible for the successful operation of the company’s technology infrastructure and supporting applications. David’s organization focuses on securely developing and running applications to enable GE Aerospace business processes and outcomes by driving a consistent framework for how information flows through the business to optimize outcomes for customers, investors, and employees.
David joined GE in 1998 and has held leadership roles in multiple businesses, including Aerospace, Lighting, Capital, Corporate, Energy, Oil, and Gas, and Transportation. Previously, David served as the CIO of Horizontal Products for GE, where he led a team focused on aligning common software solutions to enable productivity, optimize inventory, and improve customer outcomes. Prior to this role, David served as the CIO of GE Lighting, where he was responsible for a business transformation enabled by Digital Technology.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and Operations/Strategic Management from Boston College.
Patrick de Castelbajac
Chief Strategy Officer
Responsible for leading enterprise-wide strategic planning, while positioning GE Aerospace for long-term growth and value creation.
Biography
Patrick de Castelbajac is the Chief Strategy Officer for GE Aerospace. Named to his role in June 2024, he is responsible for leading enterprisewide strategic planning, while positioning GE Aerospace for long-term growth and value creation. Working with senior leadership, particularly in finance and business development, Patrick enhances strategic planning work, ensures alignment, and unlocks opportunities for today, tomorrow, and the future.
Previously, Patrick served as the Chief Executive Officer at Nordic Aviation Capital for two years, where he led the company through the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his tenure at Airbus, Patrick served as Executive Vice President, Strategy, M&A & International, and he led the launch of Airbus’ zero- emission/hydrogen initiative as well as the acquisition of Bombardier CSeries (rebranded A220 Program). Patrick also served as CEO of ATR Aircraft, the Airbus-Leonardo leading turboprop joint venture and President Airbus Asia-Pacific.
He is also a member of the Boards of Hydrogene de France and Qosmosys where he supports developing their strategies, partnerships, market penetration, and mergers and acquisitions activities.
Patrick holds two post-graduate diplomas in both Comparative Law from Université Paris Sorbonne-Assas and Business & Tax Law from Université Bordeaux. He also holds a diploma in English Law from the University of Kent and is licensed to practice law in France.
Tara DiJulio
Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
Responsible for global communications, brand, government relations, corporate reputation, and public affairs.
Biography
Tara DiJulio is the Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for GE Aerospace, where she is responsible for promoting and protecting the GE Aerospace brand and ensuring the company has a strategic and aligned communications approach across key stakeholders as it continues to define flight for today, tomorrow, and the future.
As a member of the GE Aerospace senior leadership team, Tara serves as a strategic advisor to Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. and leads all global communications, brand, government relations, corporate reputation, and public affairs efforts.
Most recently, Tara served as the Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for GE, overseeing all global communications during the company’s historic transformation. In early 2023, GE completed the successful spin-off of GE HealthCare as an independent, investment grade company and, in April 2024, launched GE Aerospace and GE Vernova as standalone public companies.
Previously, Tara served as the Senior Executive Director, Global Corporate Communications for GE, where she led external communications, and Senior Director, Global Public Affairs, where she partnered across GE businesses to drive campaigns and coalitions on key policy priorities and brand reputation issues for the company.
Before joining GE in 2016, Tara spent nearly a decade in the U.S. Senate where she was a chief media strategist and national spokesperson for five U.S. senators, including serving as the communications director for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She also served on the executive board of the bipartisan U.S. Senate Press Secretaries Association (SPSA) and was elected by her peers to lead the organization as president in 2012.
A graduate of the University of Washington, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science, Tara is a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s board of directors and a visiting fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. She is married and has two children.
Rahul Ghai
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Responsible for financial strategy for GE Aerospace's $30 billion aerospace business with more than 80 facilities in 21 countries around the globe.
Biography
Rahul Ghai is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for GE Aerospace He is responsible for leading the global finance organization and financial activities including accounting and controllership, financial planning and analysis, tax, investor relations, internal audit, and treasury.
He joined GE Aerospace in August 2022 and also served as CFO of GE from September 2023 through the spin of GE Vernova in April 2024.
Prior to joining GE Aerospace, Rahul served as CFO of Otis Elevators since July 2019. During this period, Rahul played a key role in assisting Otis’s spin from United Technologies.
Corporation and supported the development of its finance functions. His role was critical in managing the business during COVID and establishing Otis’s credibility with investors and rating agencies. Rahul helped the company deliver EPS CAGR of 16% and margin expansion of 100 bps between 2019 and 2021 after experiencing 7 years of stagnant earnings and declining margins. During this period, the company achieved ~20% earnings growth amongst other significant growth and expansions within the company.
Rahul also spent four years as CFO of Harris Corporation in Florida, tripling the company stock price as investors recognized the strategic transformation of the company. Rahul prioritized divesting in non-strategic assets and investing in industry leading technology.
Before joining Harris, Rahul had a strong track record of execution and driving transformation in multiple companies including Aetna Insurance, Carrier Corporation and UTC Fire and Security. He was involved in several M&A transactions and leading initiatives to improve process and drive operational savings.
Rahul began his career in the financial services industry in India, received his MBA from Purdue University and his undergraduate degree in Accounting and Economics from Delhi University.
Amy Gowder
President and CEO, Defense and Systems
Responsible for leading the Defense and Systems organization focused on developing and manufacturing engines and systems for military air combat, trainer, tanker, helicopter, and marine applications.
Biography
As president and chief executive officer of GE Aerospace Defense and Systems, Amy Gowder leads an operation focused on developing and manufacturing engines and systems for military air combat, trainer, tanker, helicopter, and marine applications. With more than 26,000 engines in operation for 300 U.S. and international military customers, Amy and her team also provide service and support to ensure the fleet remains mission ready.
Amy has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the aerospace and technology industry. Prior to joining GE, she served as Chief Operating Officer for Aerojet Rocketdyne where she led the Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality and Mission Assurance, Safety, Health and Environment, and Information Technology organizations, and had oversight of 11 sites in nine states.
During her tenure at Lockheed Martin, Amy held several key executive positions, such as president and general manager of Commercial Engine Solutions. As vice president and general manager for Lockheed Martin's Training and Logistics Solutions in the Rotary and Mission Systems business, she was responsible for the execution and strategic growth of the mission readiness and sustainment programs with more than 5,000 employees around the globe. Prior to Lockheed Martin, Amy worked for Accenture and specialized in Supply Chain Management for the high technology industry.
Her honors include being named a "Top 40-Under-40 Aviation Executive" by Aviation Week in 2012 and induction into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame in 2015. Amy has served on multiple advisory boards, committees, and task forces in the states of Texas and Florida, advising on aerospace and defense as well as economic development topics.
Amy is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Fellows Program with a Master of Business Administration and holds a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from Arizona State University.
Christian Meisner
Chief Human Resources Officer
Responsible for leading GE Aerospace's global HR organization.
Biography
Christian Meisner is the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for GE Aerospace. Joining GE Aerospace in October 2023, Christian is responsible for leading GE Aerospace's global HR organization, including Talent Management, Leadership Development and Learning, Total Rewards, and Labor and Employee Relations. Working closely with GE Aerospace senior leadership, Christian and the HR team aligns the organizational talent and culture strategies with the core business priorities. Christian brings nearly three decades of HR experience across multiple industries and geographies with a specific focus on building global organizational capability through integrated people and culture development initiatives.
Most recently, Christian was the CHRO for Kaiser Permanente, a large integrated health care system, and played a key role in supporting and guiding their care-delivery employees though COVID while helping transform the senior leadership team through talent and organizational changes. Previously, Christian held a series of HR leadership positions across seventeen years at United Technologies Corporation (UTC), including serving as CHRO at both Sikorsky Aircraft and Otis Elevator as well as Corporate Vice President of Talent for UTC. Earlier at UTC, Christian was responsible for the Carrier Asia Pacific HR function while based in Singapore.
Christian began his career with HR roles at Ford Motor Company and Tribune Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Villanova University and a master’s degree in labor and industrial relations from Michigan State University. He is a passionate sailor and enjoys cooking with his family in his spare time.
Chris Pereira
CEO, Aerospace Carbon Solutions (ACS) and Sustainability
Responsible for leading a business focused on outside-the-engine decarbonization of the aviation sector and GE Aerospace sustainability overall.
Biography
Chris Pereira serves as CEO of Aerospace Carbon Solutions (ACS), a GE Aerospace business focused on outside-the-engine decarbonization of the aviation sector. ACS was established to scale technology-enabled sustainable aviation fuels and carbon dioxide removal, which are needed to enable cost-effective decarbonization at large scale. Chris also leads GE Aerospace’s overall sustainability efforts and, in this capacity, leads the Sustainability Committee, which is comprised of senior company leaders.
Previously, Chris served as General Electric Company’s Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Chief Risk Officer (CRO), responsible for company-wide strategy and risk management and establishing enterprise-level governance frameworks and operational initiatives for strategy and risk. His CSO work included horizontal strategy themes, such as oversight of the company’s energy transition strategy, accelerating work on breakthrough technologies in coordination with the business and Global Research Center teams, and creating carbon emissions targets for GE. His CRO duties included leading GE Corporate’s commercial deal review process, through which he managed commercial transactions in the aerospace, energy, and healthcare industries.
Chris joined GE in 2007 and subsequently served in a number of roles, including Chief Corporate Counsel and as General Counsel for the Business Innovations segment.
Chris joined GE from Exelixis, a California biotech company, where he served as Vice President of Legal Affairs and Corporate Secretary. He is a CFA charter holder and holds law degrees from the University of Chicago and the University of Vienna, Austria.
Jake Phillips
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Responsible for leading the global legal, compliance, and security teams across GE Aerospace.
Biography
Jake Phillips is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of GE Aerospace. In this role, Jake leads the global legal, compliance, and security teams and is responsible for the legal and compliance strategy across all aspects of GE Aerospace.
Prior to joining GE Aerospace in October 2023, Jake served at the White House as Deputy Counsel to the President and Legal Advisor to the National Security Council (NSC). He led the NSC’s legal team and was responsible for advising the President and the NSC on national security and foreign policy matters.
Jake previously spent 13 years at Boeing, serving in a variety of leadership positions. Jake was most recently Vice President, Corporate Secretary, and Assistant General Counsel, with responsibility for legal matters related to corporate governance, securities, and finance. His tenure at Boeing also included extensive experience in the defense sector, having led the legal function for Boeing Defense, Space and Security as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel. Earlier in his career, Jake served in the U.S. Department of Justice as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General and in the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Jake also worked in private practice as a commercial litigator at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, based in Washington, D.C.
Jake served as a law clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court and to Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Jake is a member of the Advisory Board of the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore.
Jake holds a Juris Doctor degree with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Duke University.
Riccardo Procacci
President and CEO, Propulsion and Additive Technologies
Responsible for leading the Propulsion & Additive Technologies organization, with a focus on researching, developing, and manufacturing innovative technologies for civil and military aircraft components and propulsion systems.
Biography
Riccardo Procacci is the President and CEO of Propulsion and Additive Technologies with more than 25 years of GE experience.
In 2013, Riccardo joined GE Aerospace Systems as the Avio Integration Leader, based in Turin, Italy. In this role, Riccardo led the team that planned the smooth transition of Avio into GE, and in mid-2013 he was appointed as CEO of Avio Aero. In May 2020, he assumed additional responsibilities as CEO of GE Additive, and in December 2022 increased his leadership scope to include the Dowty Propellers and Unison Industries teams, becoming President and CEO of Propulsion and Additive Technologies.
Riccardo joined GE in 1996, covering different technical and commercial roles before being assigned to Asia in 2000 as GE Oil and Gas region sales manager based in Kuala Lumpur. During his tenure, landmark projects were secured in the region in strategic segments like LNG and Pipeline. At the end of 2003, he moved back to the GE Oil and Gas headquarters in Florence, Italy, leading the Contractual Service Agreements business unit, part of the business' Global Services division.
In 2006, he relocated to New Delhi, India, in the role of GE Country Leader, with the mandate to establish the Company's operations in India, while identifying and launching key localization initiatives and partnerships. In 2009, he was nominated to the role of Turbomachinery Applied Technology leader based in Florence, Italy, where he was responsible for the product leadership of the entire Turbomachinery portfolio, which spans from compressors to gas and steam turbines, turboexpanders, pumps, valves and control systems. In this capacity, Riccardo has spearheaded the development, testing and feasibility of new technologies such as the LM6000 for mechanical drive, the first floating LNG applications, and increasing the competitiveness of GE's steam turbines through the development of new high speed/high efficiency blades.
Riccardo holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering and a Ph.D. in turbomachinery from the University of Rome "La Sapienza".
Blaire Shoor
Head of Investor Relations
Responsible for communicating the vision of GE Aerospace to our shareholders and financial community.
Biography
Blaire Shoor is Head of Investor Relations for GE Aerospace. She is responsible for communicating the vision of GE Aerospace to its shareholders and financial community.
Blaire first joined GE Aerospace in May 2014 through the Financial Management Program and quickly advanced through the company’s leadership programs in roles of increasing responsibility before joining the Financial Planning & Analysis team in 2019. She joined the Investor Relations team in 2021 and was a key member of the team through GE’s transformation into three public companies, ultimately transitioning to GE Aerospace in 2024.
Blaire graduated from the University of Florida with degrees in Finance, Information Systems & Operations Management. She is also a member of the buildOn Boston board of directors.
Russell Stokes
President and CEO, Commercial Engines & Services
Responsible for leading our Commercial Engines and Services organization focused on developing and manufacturing engines and services for our commercial customers.
Biography
As President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Commercial Engines & Services, Russell Stokes leads our ~$27 billion Commercial Engines & Services business, a team of ~12,000 employees responsible for an industry-leading portfolio of engines and services.
Previously, Russell was President and CEO of GE Aviation Services, a role in which he led a team of 7,000 employees responsible for on-wing support, repair, used materials and overhaul of global airline fleets.
In October 2020, Russell was named Chairman of GE Power Portfolio, a collection of businesses that include GE Power Conversion, GE Hitachi Nuclear and GE Steam Power, a grouping created to better align to customer and market segments. He also served as CEO of GE Power Portfolio prior to his role as Chairman.
In 2017, Russell was named President & CEO of GE Power during a critical transformation of the business. Before leading GE Power, Russell was President & CEO of GE Energy Connections, an electrification, grid and controls business. He previously served as President & CEO of GE Transportation, a global leader in rail, mining and marine industries.
Russell has more than 28 years of GE experience, including more than 10 years at GE Aerospace where he served as the Sourcing General Manager, Services Chief Risk Officer and Customized Service Agreements Finance Leader. He began his career in GE Lighting where held roles of increasing responsibility.
Russell is a member of the Board of Directors for UPS. Russell graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in finance and is a graduate of GE’s Financial Management Program.
Phil Wickler
Chief Transformation Officer
Responsible for enterprise EHS, Quality, Lean Operations, Sustainability and Transformation across GE Aerospace.
Biography
Phil Wickler is Chief Transformation Officer where he has enterprise responsibility for EHS, Quality, Lean Operations, Sustainability and Transformation.
Most recently, he was the Vice President of Supply Chain, where he led global manufacturing and supply chain operations. Prior to that he was General Manager of the Materials Value Stream within GE Aerospace, where he was responsible for forecasting, demand management, planning, fulfillment, and logistics for the global Supply Chain. He was appointed to that role in January 2018.
Phil joined GE in 1995 on the Technical Leadership program within the GE Lighting business. He progressed through several operations roles, including six sigma Black Belt in assembly and component manufacturing, and as a facility manager.
In 2001, he came to GE Aerospace, Commercial Engine Services where he led new product introduction for service product offerings. In 2003, he was promoted to materials planning leader for GE Aerospace’s Supply Chain Division, covering commercial, military, and marine and industrial for both new engines and spare parts. Phil became the Director of Product Operations for the Regional and General Aviation Engine business in 2004, with responsibility across all models of the CF34 engine family, with highlights including the certification of the CF34-10E and roll-out of the first CF34-10A powered ARJ21. He was then appointed as the Director of Strategy and Product Management for the CF6 Product Line, with responsibility for new engine and services products.
In 2009, Phil was the General Manager of International Programs, where he was responsible for revenue sharing partnerships (RSP) across GE Aerospace. He later led the $12B CSA portfolio for CF6 and GEnx as well as business operations for the CF6/GEnx product line.
In 2014, Phil was promoted to the General Manager of Commercial Materials Services where he was responsible for the commercial spare parts, component repair and used serviceable businesses, along with MRO strategy and licensing.
Phil graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Xavier University. He was a member of the board of directors for the SSAMC and XEOS MRO JVs, as well as President of CFM Materials.
