GE Aerospace has expanded its commercial engines and services business to include operations and technology, and has named Mohamed Ali as that division’s new chief, replacing Russell Stokes, who will soon retire.
The company also created the new position of chief commercial sales and customer officer, to be held by Jason Tonich, GE said on 15 January.
Stokes, a 29-year GE veteran, had been chief executive of commercial engines and services since 2022. He will retire in July, serving until then as special advisor to chief executive Larry Culp, “to ensure a smooth transition”, GE says.
“Russell Stokes has demonstrated exceptional leadership and operational performance across a range of leadership roles. His strong business experience, continuous improvement mindset and passion for developing leaders have helped build this world-class business,” says Culp.
Ali, who since early 2025 had been GE chief technology and operations officer, has now taken over as CEO of commercial engines and services.
That division has traditionally overseen “engine lifecycle across new engine products and services”. But with the leadership change, GE has expanded the unit to include technology and operations, which encompasses “product safety, quality, global manufacturing, supply chain and engineering”, GE says.
“These changes build on organisational shifts we made last year when we united our engineering, sourcing and manufacturing operations,” the company adds. “Today’s announcement takes those learnings to the next level, bringing together all our commercial engines-related functions from design through manufacturing, assembly and MRO into one team.”
Ali has worked at GE for nearly 30 years. Before being chief technology and operations officer he was vice-president of engineering.
“Mohamed Ali’s leadership of [technology and operations] and his deep knowledge of both our technology and our customers makes him a natural fit to lead this expanded commercial engines and services team,” says Culp.
The newly created chief commercial sales and customer officer role, held by Tonich, will oversee an “integrated sales and customer experience”, GE says.
Tonich, who now reports to Culp, previously was vice-president of global sales and marketing, according to his LinkedIn page.
