The board of directors of the defense contractor L3Harris Technologies has immediately appointed Sam Mehta as the new president and CEO, following the resignation of Christopher Kubasik as chairman, CEO, and board member, after an internal investigation into "certain behaviors" of the executive that were not consistent with the company's values.
In relation to this matter, L3Harris confirmed this Monday that "it became aware of certain behaviors of Kubasik that were not consistent with the company's values," as outlined in the internal code of conduct.
"This behavior was not related to financial reporting, controls, customer relations, or the company's operational performance," the military contractor pointed out, specifying that, after analyzing these facts with the support of independent legal advisors, the board concluded that the most appropriate course of action for the company was to "reach a separation agreement with Kubasik."
"Chris has overseen a significant transformation during his tenure at L3Harris and has shaped a strong team to drive the business. However, our values guide our daily actions," highlighted Lewis Hay III, the new independent chairman of the board of L3Harris.
Profile and career of the new CEO, Sam Mehta
Regarding Mehta's appointment, the company emphasized that he joined L3Harris in 2023 and has over 25 years of experience in strategic and operational leadership within the aerospace and defense sector.
In his most recent position as president of the Space and Mission Systems (SMS) and Communications and Spectrum Dominance (CSD) segments, he took on responsibility for business strategy, financial performance, proper execution, and growth of the most relevant areas of L3Harris, which account for more than 80% of the group's revenues.
"Sam is a proven executive who brings deep knowledge of our business, priorities, and culture, making him the right person to assume the presidency and executive leadership of L3Harris at this crucial moment in the history of our company and our country," emphasized Lewis Hay III.