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Chairwoman & CEO, General Dynamics
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Phebe N. Novakovic is the Chairwoman and CEO of General Dynamics, one of the foremost aerospace and defense conglomerates globally. A notoriously private executive, Novakovic’s background is highly unique for a corporate CEO: she is a former operations officer for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and served in senior roles within the Department of Defense. She has led General Dynamics since 2013, making her one of the most powerful women in the defense sector. In 2026, General Dynamics is the logistical heartbeat of both American naval supremacy and ground warfare. Novakovic oversees Electric Boat, the division responsible for constructing the ultra-classified, $130+ billion Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines (the future of the U.S. nuclear triad). Simultaneously, her combat systems division has been pushed to the absolute breaking point, massively expanding factories in Texas and Pennsylvania to produce hundreds of thousands of 155mm artillery shells to feed the relentless war of attrition in Eastern Europe and refill depleted NATO stockpiles.
CEO of General Dynamics (2013–Present), overseeing a sprawling empire encompassing nuclear submarines, Abrams tanks, and Gulfstream aerospace
Executing the construction of the Columbia-class nuclear submarines, the most complex and expensive shipbuilding program in U.S. Navy history
Served as an Operations Officer for the CIA and as the Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense (1997–2001)
Navigating severe supply chain disruptions and critical labor shortages in the specialized submarine shipbuilding industry, leading to high-profile schedule delays in the delivery of both Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines to the U.S. Navy
Faces intense congressional oversight and audits regarding the massive cost overruns associated with maintaining the aging M1 Abrams tank production lines
General Dynamics faced protests from human rights organizations for continuing to supply munitions and armored vehicles to nations accused of severe international law violations
Consistently ranked by Forbes as one of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women
Graduated from Smith College in 1979
Began career as an analyst for the McLean Research Center in 1979
Served as an operations officer for the Central Intelligence Agency from 1983 to 1986
Earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1988
Served as Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1997 to 2001
Served as Deputy Associate Director for National Security at the Office of Management and Budget prior to 2001
Joined General Dynamics in 2001
Appointed Vice President of Strategic Planning at General Dynamics in 2002
Promoted to Senior Vice President of Planning and Development at General Dynamics in 2005
Elected to the board of directors of Abbott Laboratories in 2010
Appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of General Dynamics in May 2012
Appointed Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of General Dynamics on January 1, 2013
Named one of the world's most powerful women by Forbes in 2014
Led the $9.8 billion acquisition of IT services firm CSRA in 2018
Appointed as a director of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2020
Received her ninth Wash100 award in 2023 for contributions to the government contracting sector
Ranked 21st on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women in 2023
Elected as chair of the Aerospace Industries Association's (AIA) board of governors for 2026
Throughout her tenure as CEO of General Dynamics, Novakovic has faced periodic criticism from shareholder activists and anti-war organizations regarding the company's arms sales to countries such as Saudi Arabia. These critics have confronted her during annual shareholder meetings, alleging that the company profits from conflicts and civilian casualties, particularly in the context of the Yemen civil war.
Novakovic has faced ongoing public and investor scrutiny regarding her executive compensation packages. Reports and financial analyses have frequently noted that her total annual compensation is higher than the median for CEOs in the aerospace and defense industry, leading to occasional shareholder hesitation or commentary during annual meetings.
