Marillyn Hewson

Marillyn Hewson
Hewson in 2014
Marillyn Hewson
Born	Marillyn Adams 27 12, 1953
Birthplace	Junction City, Kansas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive
Known for	Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin (2013–2020)
Education	University of Alabama (BS, MA)
Spouse(s)	James Hewson
Children	2
Awards	Fortune Most Powerful Women #1 (2018); Chief Executive CEO of the Year (2018); Forbes Power Women #9 (2018)

Marillyn Adams Hewson (born December 27, 1953) is an American business executive who served as the chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defense contractor, from January 2013 to June 2020. Born in Junction City, Kansas, and raised in a family that faced economic hardship after her father's early death, Hewson built a career spanning more than three decades at Lockheed Martin and its predecessor companies, rising through a succession of leadership roles in finance, logistics, and operations before being named to the corporation's top position. During her tenure as CEO, Hewson oversaw significant revenue growth, managed major defense programs including the F-35 Lightning II, and navigated the company through a complex geopolitical and fiscal environment. She was ranked the number one most powerful woman in the world by Fortune magazine in 2018 and was named Chief Executive magazine's CEO of the Year that same year. After stepping down as CEO in June 2020, she continued as executive chairman before transitioning to a strategic advisor role in early 2021.

Early Life

Marillyn Adams was born on December 27, 1953, in Junction City, Kansas. She was one of five children in her family. Her father died when she was nine years old, leaving her mother to raise the children largely on her own under financially difficult circumstances. In interviews, Hewson has described her mother as a formative influence, crediting her with instilling a strong work ethic and resilience that shaped her professional life. The experience of growing up in a household that faced economic adversity after the loss of her father was a recurring theme in Hewson's public remarks about leadership and perseverance.

Hewson grew up in Alabama, where she would later attend college. The values of hard work and self-reliance that her mother modeled became central to Hewson's identity as she pursued her education and, eventually, a career in the defense industry.

Education

Hewson attended the University of Alabama, where she earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and a Master of Arts degree in economics. Her academic background in business and economics provided the foundation for her early career roles in finance and corporate strategy at Lockheed Martin's predecessor companies.

Career

Early Career at Lockheed

Hewson joined Lockheed Martin's predecessor company in 1983 and spent more than three decades with the corporation, holding a series of progressively senior positions across multiple business areas. Her early career encompassed roles in finance, internal audit, and program management. Over the years, she gained operational experience across several of the company's major divisions, including its electronic systems, information technology, and aeronautics segments.

Hewson held leadership positions including president of Lockheed Martin's Electronic Systems business, executive vice president of the Information Systems & Global Solutions business area, and president and chief operating officer (COO) of the corporation. Her breadth of experience across diverse business units positioned her as a leading candidate for the top executive role.

Appointment as CEO

In November 2012, Lockheed Martin announced that Hewson would succeed Robert J. Stevens as the company's president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2013. The appointment made Hewson the first woman to lead the world's largest defense contractor. The announcement drew attention in the defense industry and the broader business community, particularly in the context of the relatively small number of women leading major U.S. corporations at the time.

The Wall Street Journal noted that Hewson's appointment came at a challenging time for the defense sector, which was facing the prospect of significant budget cuts under the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the sequestration provisions that threatened to reduce U.S. defense spending by hundreds of billions of dollars over the following decade. Hewson assumed the CEO role with a mandate to steer the company through this period of fiscal uncertainty while maintaining the competitiveness of Lockheed Martin's major programs.

Tenure as Chairman, President and CEO

During her tenure as CEO from 2013 to 2020, Hewson led Lockheed Martin through a period of sustained growth in revenue and stock price. Under her leadership, the company focused on its core defense and aerospace businesses, including the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program, missile defense systems, and space systems.

Forbes described Hewson as "the most powerful executive that the modern defense industry has produced," citing her ability to navigate complex relationships with government customers, manage major acquisition programs, and deliver consistent financial performance to shareholders. The company's annual revenue grew substantially during her time at the helm, and its stock price increased significantly from the levels at which she assumed leadership.

Hewson's strategic priorities included expanding Lockheed Martin's international sales, investing in advanced technologies such as hypersonic weapons and autonomous systems, and pursuing selective acquisitions to strengthen the company's portfolio. She also oversaw the company's response to evolving national security threats and worked to maintain relationships with key customers in the U.S. Department of Defense and allied governments around the world.

The F-35 program, the largest and most expensive weapons system in history, was a central focus of Hewson's tenure. The program faced persistent scrutiny over cost overruns and schedule delays, and Hewson engaged directly with government officials, including members of Congress and successive presidential administrations, to address concerns and negotiate production contracts aimed at reducing the per-unit cost of the aircraft.

Hewson also emphasized the importance of workforce development and corporate culture during her time as CEO. In public remarks, she discussed the need for investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and for creating an inclusive workplace environment.

COVID-19 Response

In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect operations across the defense industrial base, Hewson issued a public statement outlining Lockheed Martin's response to the crisis. The company implemented measures to protect the health and safety of its workforce while maintaining its ability to fulfill critical national security contracts. Hewson stated that the company recognized "the rapid spread of COVID-19 and its wide-ranging" effects and outlined steps including remote work arrangements, enhanced safety protocols at manufacturing facilities, and support for employees and communities affected by the pandemic.

Succession and Transition

On March 16, 2020, Lockheed Martin announced that Hewson would step down as president and CEO, effective June 15, 2020, and that James D. Taiclet, then a member of the Lockheed Martin board of directors and the CEO of American Tower Corporation, would succeed her in those roles. Hewson retained the position of executive chairman of the board following her departure from the CEO role.

The timing of the succession announcement, coming amid the early stages of the pandemic, drew attention from analysts and media. Forbes noted that Hewson had "surprised Wall Street" with the disclosure but praised her choice of successor, describing it as a well-considered transition plan. TechCrunch also reported on the leadership change, noting the significance of the transition at the world's largest defense company.

In January 2021, Lockheed Martin's board elected Taiclet as chairman, effective March 1, 2021, and announced that Hewson would transition to a role as strategic advisor to the company. In this capacity, she continued to provide guidance on strategic matters to the corporation's leadership.

Post-Retirement Activities

Following her transition from executive leadership at Lockheed Martin, Hewson has remained active as a speaker and advisor in business and defense circles. In 2025, she was announced as a headline speaker for the 2026 NextGen luncheon series in Naples, Florida, alongside other prominent figures.

Personal Life

Marillyn Hewson is married to James Hewson. The couple has two children. In 2018, Hewson and her husband purchased a home in McLean, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C., where many senior defense industry and government figures reside.

Hewson has spoken publicly about the influence of her mother on her career and leadership philosophy. In a 2013 appearance at a Politico event titled "Women Rule," she discussed the resilience she developed from watching her mother raise five children as a single parent after her father's death. She has cited this experience as formative in developing her approach to leadership under pressure and in difficult circumstances.

Recognition

Hewson received numerous honors and distinctions during and after her tenure as CEO of Lockheed Martin. Among the most notable:

• In 2018, Fortune magazine ranked Hewson as the number one most powerful woman in the world on its annual Most Powerful Women list. She had appeared on the list in multiple prior years as well.

• Also in 2018, Chief Executive magazine named Hewson its CEO of the Year, recognizing her leadership of Lockheed Martin and her impact on the defense industry and the broader business community. The magazine noted her track record of financial performance, strategic vision, and engagement with stakeholders across government and industry.

• Forbes magazine ranked Hewson as number nine on its 2018 list of the World's Most Powerful Women.

• The Harvard Business Review included Hewson in its ranking of the best-performing CEOs in the world in 2017, evaluating leaders based on long-term financial performance and other metrics.

• Hewson received the Edison Achievement Award, which recognizes leaders who have made significant contributions to innovation and business leadership.

• She was repeatedly named to the Wash100, an annual list of the most influential leaders in government contracting and the defense industry.

Legacy

Marillyn Hewson's tenure at Lockheed Martin is notable for several reasons within the context of the defense industry and American business leadership. As the first woman to lead the world's largest defense contractor, her appointment and subsequent performance in the role drew attention to the representation of women in senior corporate leadership, particularly in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as defense and aerospace.

Under Hewson's leadership, Lockheed Martin maintained its position as the leading U.S. defense contractor by revenue and expanded its international business. The company's stock performance during her tenure attracted attention from business analysts and investors, and her management of the F-35 program through periods of political and budgetary scrutiny was a defining element of her time as CEO.

Forbes contributor Loren Thompson assessed Hewson's impact by describing her as "the most powerful executive that the modern defense industry has produced," a characterization that reflected both the scale of Lockheed Martin's operations and Hewson's personal influence in shaping the company's strategic direction. Her leadership style, which she attributed in part to the lessons of her upbringing, emphasized resilience, direct engagement with stakeholders, and a focus on long-term strategic positioning rather than short-term financial metrics alone.

Following her transition to the role of strategic advisor in 2021, Hewson continued to be recognized as a significant figure in American business and defense policy, maintaining a public presence as a speaker and commentator on leadership, defense, and corporate strategy.