A Conversation with Phebe N. Novakovic, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, General Dynamics

Phebe N. Novakovic, chairman and chief executive officer of General Dynamics, sat down with Thomas A. Kennedy, chairman and chief executive officer of Raytheon Company, at the June 11 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Novakovic discussed her role leading General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company that designs and builds a variety of products, including nuclear-powered submarines and guided-missile destroyers, for government customers. She stressed the importance of a strong corporate ethos or culture. “The reason it’s important is because culture undergirds everything you do. It’s the personality of the organization. So part of that culture is alignment, transparency, honesty, and trust.” She also spoke about the defense industry as an early adopter of diversity and how mentoring should be gender and color blind. Novakovic has served as General Dynamics chief executive officer since 2013. Prior to joining the company, she worked for the Department of Defense, the White House Office of Management and Budget, and the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2018, General Dynamics reported earnings of $3.4 billion on revenue of $36.2 billion.