Textron Aviation Appoints New CEO Ahead of Planned Restructuring

Brian Rohloff will succeed Ron Draper, who announced his retirement, as company’s chief executive.

Jack Daleo

Monday, August 24, 2026 at 02:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Brian Rohloff (pictured) is expected to assume leadership of Textron Aviation on August 31, replacing Ron Draper. [Credit: Textron Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Brian Rohloff has been appointed President and CEO of Textron Aviation, succeeding Ron Draper who is retiring but will remain a senior advisor through 2026.
This leadership change is part of Textron's larger strategic plan to restructure into a "pure-play aerospace and defense" company, with Textron Aviation as a core segment.
Rohloff, an almost 30-year veteran of Textron, will lead the company in its new strategic direction and oversee the certification of several new aircraft models, including three next-generation Citation light jets.

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Textron Aviation is shaking up its leadership ahead of its parent company’s planned restructuring of its businesses.

Textron on Monday said it appointed Brian Rohloff as president and CEO of Textron Aviation, which confirmed that Rohloff’s predecessor, Ron Draper, plans to retire. The leadership change is expected to take effect August 31, putting Rohloff in charge of marquee general aviation brands, including Cessna, Beechcraft, and Pipistrel.