Textron Appoints Bell CEO Lisa Atherton as Future Company Leader
On October 22, 2025, Textron’s board of directors announced the appointment of Lisa Atherton, the current president and CEO of Bell Textron, as the company’s next president and CEO, effective from January 4, 2026.
Atherton, 51, is set to succeed Scott C. Donnelly, who has been at the helm of Textron for 17 years and will transition to the role of executive chairman. This leadership change is the result of what the company describes as a comprehensive succession planning process.
Atherton joined Textron in 2007 and has since held positions of increasing responsibility. Her roles have included being the president and CEO of Textron Systems from 2017 to January 2023, before taking the helm at Bell in April 2023.
“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 R. Kerry Clark, Textron’s lead director.
Atherton’s compensation package includes a $1.3 million annual base salary and a target annual incentive of 150% of base salary. Her appointment strengthens Textron’s leadership in the aerospace and defense sectors. The company’s portfolio includes:
- Bell helicopters
- Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft
- Defense systems