David M. Cote, Honeywell

David Cote is executive chairman of the Vertiv Board of Directors and author of “Winning Now, Winning Later.” David has been chief executive officer, president and secretary, and chairman of the board of directors for Goldman Sachs Acquisition Holdings since April 2018.

Prior to that, David Cote served as chairman and chief executive officer of Honeywell from July 2002 to March 2017. He was executive chairman of the board at Honeywell until April 23, 2018. David joined Honeywell as president and chief executive officer in February 2002. When David Cote became CEO of Honeywell in 2002, the company was a “train wreck.” But by pursuing both short and long-term results under Cote’s leadership over 16 years, Honeywell’s market cap grew from $20 to $120 billion, delivering returns of 800 percent and beating the S&P by nearly two and a half times.

Prior to joining Honeywell, he was chairman, president and chief executive officer of TRW Inc., a provider of products and services for the aerospace, information systems and automotive markets, from August 2001 to February 2002. From February 2001 to July 2001, he served as TRW’s president and chief executive officer and from November 1999 to January 2001 he was its president and chief operating officer. Mr. Cote was Senior Vice President of General Electric Company and President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Appliances from June 1996 to November 1999. Mr. Cote was a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of NewYork from March 2014 to March 2018. He previously served as a director of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from July 2007 to July 2013. Cote was selected to serve on the board due to his significant leadership experience and his extensive management and investment experience, including in the industrial sector.