GE Aerospace announced a significant consolidation of its leadership structure on January 15, appointing Mohamed Ali as President and CEO of an expanded Commercial Engines and Services (CES) division. The move places the entire lifecycle of the company’s commercial engine business—from engineering and supply chain to manufacturing and aftermarket services—under a single leader. This reorganization coincides with the announcement that Russell Stokes, a 29-year veteran of the company, will retire in July 2026.
The restructuring effectively merges the existing CES unit with the Technology & Operations (T&O) team. Previously separate, these distinct functions will now operate under Ali’s unified command. The objective is to streamline operations by aligning new engine production with service maintenance, product safety, and quality control. Ali previously led the T&O team, and his work there was cited by GE Aerospace CEO Lawrence Culp as a “natural fit” to manage this integration, given his background in both the technological and customer-facing aspects of the business.
Russell Stokes will remain with the company through July 2026 to assist with the transition. Stokes led various operational transformations during his nearly three decades with GE. In a statement regarding the transition, Culp credited Stokes with helping to successfully launch GE Aerospace as a standalone entity and noted Stokes’ role in developing the company’s current operational foundation.
In a concurrent move, GE Aerospace named Jason Tonich as the company’s new Chief Commercial Sales & Customer Officer. Tonich will lead a consolidated sales team and will now report directly to CEO Larry Culp. This reporting change signals a shift to bring customer relations closer to the top executive level, aiming to integrate sales functions more tightly with the company’s broader operational goals.
The leadership changes come just ahead of the company’s fiscal reporting. GE Aerospace is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings on January 22.
A lifelong aviation enthusiast, Douglas Royce is currently co-editor of four of Forecast International's Market Intelligence Services: Civil Aircraft Forecast, Military Aircraft Forecast, Rotorcraft Forecast, and Aviation Gas Turbine Forecast. As such, he plays a key role in many important projects that involve market sizing and forecasting for various segments of the world aerospace industry, as well as demand for related systems.
