Driven by grit and gumption and her lifelong motto to “leave things better than you find them,” Leanne Caret is globally renowned for breathing new life into businesses, creating growth, and transforming how industries invest in technology for a successful future. A true aerospace pioneer, Caret is the first woman to serve as President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security. Decisive, courageous, and inspiring particularly in times of crisis, Caret led Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security (BDS) unit for six years, overseeing 30,000 employees across four continents and driving growth in annual revenue ($34 billion) and profits amidst tumultuous market conditions.

Following a 34-year career at Boeing, Caret is now a Senior Advisor to Blackstone and MyNextSeason and serves as a Director of Deere & Company and RTX. A champion of STEM education, Caret also serves on the boards of FIRST Robotics, Kansas State University Foundation, and USO Inc. She is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Dynamic, candid, and always authentic, Caret is a popular speaker on managing tech disruption and leading global teams with grit, gumption, grace, and gratitude—her so-called GCubed. She earned a BS in Business Administration from Kansas State University and an MBA from Wichita State University. She lives in the DFW metroplex with her husband, Steve.