James D. Taiclet

James Donald Taiclet, Jr. is an American business executive who has been serving as the chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Lockheed Martin since 2020.

In June of 2020 Taiclet was named as CEO of Lockheed Martin, succeeding Marillyn Hewson. He was named chairman of the company in January 2021.

In 2018, Taiclet joined the board of directors of Lockheed Martin.

From 2013 to 2018, Taiclet was named to Harvard Business Review’s list of Best-Performing CEOs in the World.

In 2001, American Tower recruited Taiclet for the role of chief operating officer. He was named chief executive officer of American Tower in October 2003 after the departure of Steven B. Dodge and was selected as chairman of the board in February 2004. He remained as CEO and on the board of American Tower until 2020.

Taiclet first entered the private sector as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co. from July 1991 to February 1996. He then joined Pratt & Whitney as vice president of engine services until 1999, and then served as president of Honeywell Aerospace Services until 2001.

From 1985 to 1991, Taiclet was a pilot in the United States Air Force, serving as aircraft commander, instructor pilot and unit chief of standardization and evaluation. During Operation Desert Shield, he flew multiple missions in a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter transport jet. His rotational assignments included the Joint Staff and Air Staff at the Pentagon.

Taiclet graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1982 with a degree in engineering and international relations. While at the Academy, Taiclet played on the rugby team, serving as captain during his senior year.

James Taiclet was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1960. His father, James Sr., served in the U.S. Army at the Wiesbaden Air Base in Germany and later became a boilermaker in Pittsburgh. His mother, Mary Ann (née Foley), was a homemaker and school administrator.