Marillyn Hewson on business imperative
From Marillyn A. Hewson, Lockheed Martin Corporation, 2014 Catalyst Awards Dinner · · Catalyst
“Until we see more diversity in key leadership positions, we're going to limit the potential of our organizations and hinder change at all levels in our organization. For our business and for your business, it's a business imperative. We must embrace diversity and we must have a more inclusive environment.”
On , Marillyn Hewson, Former Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer at Lockheed Martin, spoke about business imperative during Marillyn A. Hewson, Lockheed Martin Corporation, 2014 Catalyst Awards Dinner on Catalyst.
About Marillyn Hewson
Marillyn Hewson, former chairman, president, and CEO of Lockheed Martin, announced during a May 2020 investor conference that Jim Taiclet would succeed her as president and CEO on June 15, 2020, with Hewson moving into an executive chairman role. She described the company as "very strong and stable" with a record backlog of approximately $144 billion, and stated that Taiclet, who had served on Lockheed Martin's board for over two years and had a military background, was a good fit for the company's culture. During the same call, Hewson noted that the company had reduced its sales outlook for the F-35 program by about $375 million due to COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions, and that it had accelerated payments to suppliers. In earlier public remarks, Hewson discussed her personal background, including growing up in a family led by a widowed mother and funding her own education at the University of Alabama, where she earned undergraduate and graduate degrees. She frequently spoke about the importance of innovation, citing Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works legacy and programs such as the F-35 and hypersonic technologies. Hewson also emphasized the need for STEM education and diversity in the workforce, stating that "bringing together people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives drives innovation and delivers business results." She described Lockheed Martin as a "national asset" and said she was "humbled" to serve as its first female CEO.