Phebe Novakovic

Phebe Novakovic has spent over 13 years turning General Dynamics into one of the defining companies of a new defense era. In 2025, that mission became even clearer. As governments ramped up military spending and the U.S. Navy moved to expand its submarine fleet, General Dynamics landed the largest shipbuilding contract in Navy history, a deal worth up to $24.2 billion for nuclear submarines built by its Electric Boat division. Novakovic is now pouring capital into the company’s shipyards and production capacity to meet that demand, while steering a business that generated $52.6 billion in revenue last year. Her influence is also extending across the industry: In December, she was named 2026 chair of the Aerospace Industries Association Board of Governors, making her a leading voice for the defense and aerospace sector at a moment of rising global security demands. A former CIA officer and special assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, Novakovic sits at the intersection of national security and corporate power, and she has become one of the most important figures in both worlds.