3M Names Bill Brown As New CEO

By Amit Chowdhry • Mar 12, 2024

3M announced that William M. “Bill” Brown is appointed chief executive officer, effective May 1, 2024. Brown succeeds Michael Roman, who is being appointed to the role of Executive Chairman of the 3M Board of Directors, also effective May 1, 2024.

Brown is the former Chairman of the Board and CEO of L3Harris Technologies, an innovator in aerospace and defense technology solutions where he served as CEO and chairman, and then executive chair from June 2019 to June 2022. And Brown previously served as chairman, president, and CEO of Harris Corporation before its merger with L3 Technologies in 2019.

Brown joined Harris Corporation in November 2011 as president and CEO. Before Harris Corporation, Brown spent 14 years at United Technologies Corporation (UTC), serving in various leadership roles.

Brown has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Villanova University and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. And Brown is the former Chair of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Board of Governors and formerly a member of AIA’s Executive Committee.

Roman will continue chairing 3M’s Board of Directors and provide insights from his 35+ years with 3M to the company’s strategic direction as executive chairman of the board. He served as 3M’s CEO since July 2018.

3M also announced that the company Board of Directors waived Roman and Brown’s mandatory retirement age of 65.

KEY QUOTES:

“Bill’s strong track record as a CEO for a global technology company makes him the right leader for 3M. He brings a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, innovation, and operational excellence to 3M. I look forward to working with him to build on our momentum in my new role as executive chairman.”

– Michael Roman

“I am excited for the opportunity to lead this iconic global company. The company has made significant positive changes under Mike’s leadership, and I am looking forward to building on that progress as CEO as 3M continues to deliver for its customers, shareholders, employees, and communities around the globe.”

– Bill Brown