Exxon Mobil Corporation announced that Lawrence “Larry” W. Kellner and John D. Harris II have joined its board of directors. Kellner has been the former chairman and chief executive officer of Continental Airlines and current chairman of the board for the Boeing Company. Harris has been the former chief executive officer of Raytheon International Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company, a global engineering and technology company focused on aviation, space and defense.
“During Larry’s tenure as chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines, he led a major turnaround following the industry’s downturn after 9/11 and helped make Continental a leader among major carriers. His experience in the airline industry comes with a focus on safety and will provide useful customer insights into many areas of strategic interest, including the role ExxonMobil can play in providing lower-emission fuel options for commercial transportation,” said Darren Woods, chairman and chief executive officer for Exxon Mobil Corporation.
“We welcome both Larry and John to the ExxonMobil board, as the company executes its strategy to grow shareholder value by leading a thoughtful transition to a lower-emissions future, while providing the reliable energy and products the world needs,” said Joseph Hooley, lead independent director for Exxon Mobil Corporation.
Kellner is president of Emerald Creek Group, LLC, a private equity firm based in Austin, Texas. From December 2004 to December 2009, he was the chairman and chief executive officer of Continental Airlines, Inc., which had operations around the world with 41,000 employees. He joined Continental in 1995 as chief financial officer and was named chief operating officer in 2003.
At the moment, Harris serves on the boards of Flex, Cisco Systems, and Kyndryl Holdings. With Raytheon Company, Harris started his career in 1983. He held a number of positions with increasing levels of responsibility, including several vice president positions with responsibility for the operations, contracts, supply chain, electronic systems, and intelligence, information, and technical services.
The board has expanded with the election of Harris and Kellner, who have led value-creation initiatives during industry transformations.
