Phebe Novakovic: General Dynamics CEO

Phebe Novakovic received an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She took up her undergraduate degree at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Phebe is of Serbian descent. 

She was employed at the Central Intelligence Agency then worked for the United States Department of Defense from 1997 to 2001. Then on the same year upon leaving the Department of Defense, Phebe joined General Dynamics. 

Phebe was Director of Strategic Planning and Development from March 2001 to May 2002 then became Staff Vice President of General Dynamics Corporation from May 2002 to October 2002. Phebe served as Vice President of Strategic Planning from October 2002 to June 30, 2005. She was then appointed as Senior Vice President for Planning & Development at General Dynamics Corporation and General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. from July 2005 to May 1, 2010. 

Phebe was promoted to Executive Vice President of General Dynamics Marine System, Inc. from May 1, 2010, to May 2012. She received another promotion on May 2, 2012, becoming President and Chief Operation Officer until December 2012. Then on January 1, 2013,  Phebe was elected to her current position as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Dynamics.

The Next Leader Of General Dynamics

In June 7, 2012 General Dynamics announced that it current CEO Jay Johnson would be retiring on December 2012 and will be succeeded by Phebe Novakovic.  Only just May 2012 she was appointed as president and COO. In less than a year in her current position she will be the head of the entire company which is one of the major defense contractors of the U.S.

General Dynamics makes everything from Army tanks to nuclear submarines. It’s an accomplishment for anyone to be able to head it. Being the first woman to head a major defense contractor is an added feather in Novakovic’s cap.

She is no stranger to matters related to the country’s defense. She was formerly a CIA official and spent around four years as a special assistant to the defense secretary. Novakovic was deputy secretary of defense from 1997 to 2001.

Then she joined General Dynamics in 2001. Novakovic has served in a number of senior positions at General Dynamics including vice president of strategic planning from October 2002 to July 2005. She then was made vice president for planning and development from July 2005 to May 2010. Novakovic was EVP for marine systems since May 2010 before becoming president and COO.

Novakovic is part of the now growing trend of women heading large corporations.