Our Leadership Team

David Cote brings more than 40 years of operating experience across a wide range of industries. Following a variety of senior executive positions at GE and TRW, Mr. Cote served as Executive Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell from 2002 to 2017. While at Honeywell, Mr. Cote led a profound shift in strategy characterized by a focus on profitable growth, consistent margin improvement and the development of a results-oriented culture. Mr. Cote also implemented a disciplined acquisition framework, using M&A to build Honeywell’s divisions to leading positions in their respective industries and to optimize Honeywell’s portfolio of businesses. Mr. Cote’s efforts yielded significant improvements in operating and financial performance that led to meaningful and consistent value creation for stockholders. Under his leadership, from 2003 to 2017, Honeywell reported revenues increased by 83% and significant segment profit margin expansion and adjusted earnings per share growth. From January 1, 2003 to April 18, 2018, Honeywell’s total stockholder return (calculated as the capital gain plus dividends) was 797% compared to 321% for the S&P 500 (Mr. Cote served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell until March 2017, and as non-executive Chairman of the Board at Honeywell until April 2018). Honeywell’s market capitalization also grew from $20 billion on January 1, 2003, to approximately $112 billion on April 18, 2018, after distributing in excess of $17 billion of dividends, thereby creating in excess of $109 billion of value for Honeywell’s stockholders. Most recently, Mr. Cote has served since February 2020 as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Vertiv, the stock price of which increased 1,435% during his tenure (as of January 23, 2025).