In the military, defence, and security space there are very few female leaders. This is what makes Phebe Novakovic a surefire contender for most “Women We Admire” lists. It takes a lot to come so far in this particular industry, and Novakovic is the Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of defense giant and Fortune 100 company General Dynamics, no less. Whilst Novakovic is quite private online, and does not often reveal much personal information in interviews, what little we know is sufficiently astounding.
Novakovic started her career as an analyst for the McLean Research Center and received her MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1988. Novakovic then joined the CIA, where she worked within the Department of Defense for four years as the special assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense. During this time, Novakovic was charged with managing the ins and outs of all major U.S. Department of Defense budget and policy decisions for her superiors. It was after this that she joined General Dynamics.
At General Dynamics, Novakovic quickly took to leadership positions, helming various roles which included being executive VP for the Marine Systems Group, senior VP of planning and development, and VP of strategic planning. She was appointed to the company’s Board of Directors in 2012. Novakovic’s belief of “doing well in life by doing the job in front of you by serving the team” has enabled her notable success as General Dynamic’s CEO. Since her appointment in 2013, she has overseen GD stock’s 180% rise. Furthermore, 2020 saw General Dynamics earn $3.2 billion on revenue of $37.9 billion, a result that Novakovic attributed to the continued company focus on “employee and operating performance.”
A family woman, Novakovic also somehow finds time to sit on the Board of Directors of Abbott Laboratories, and has since 2010. It’s no wonder that she has been listed as the 25th ‘Most Powerful Woman in the World’ by Forbes Magazine. As of this year, she was also named in the “Wash100 for Driving Company Growth; Expanding Senior Leadership; National Security Portfolio.” This was her seventh Wash100 Award.
Her advice for women in the corporate world? “Be part of a team and do the job in front of you as best as you possibly can. In a functional organisation the rest will take care of itself.”