John DeSimone

Chief Executive Officer, Nightwing

A major achievement for John DeSimone in 2024 will be completing the sale of the business he runs this year. As it transitions from RTX to a stand-alone entity held by a private equity firm, “I see us delivering even more agile, relevant solutions to our customers. Our sharper focus and ability to deliver greater value to our customers will certainly be the highlight of my year,” he said.

Why Watch:

DeSimone and his team are focusing on using the company’s upcoming change in ownership to better serve their customers and support their employees. Based on his experience, DeSimone knows it’s important to regularly listen to and involve employees, using their feedback to enhance their work experience and to be as open and clear as possible with them about changes.

We’ve also had tremendous growth as a business over the last several years that I only see accelerating as we embrace the opportunities new ownership brings. We’ll be rolling out a new brand for the business, and moving forward strategically with the next evolution of the company. I’m excited for all that’s in store with our ability to more sharply focused how we can better help customers solve their toughest problems, and to create a workplace tailored to our talent that supports those critical national security missions.

“The most important thing any leader can do is listen to customers and employees,” he said. “I have had many great mentors and that is one trait they’ve all had in common.”

Fun fact: DeSimone played football in college, where he learned valuable skills like time management, overcoming challenges, and the importance of teamwork. “I’ve been able to pass those lessons on to my sons as they participate in their sporting careers,” he said.