H. Lawrence Culp Jr. has run GE Aerospace since splitting up GE. His influence extends throughout the industry. By Al Root

H. Lawrence "Larry" Culp Jr. arguably saved General Electric by splitting it into three publicly traded companies. He runs one of them -- GE Aerospace, whose stock market value has risen almost 50% over the past 12 months.

Aerospace investors have long looked to Culp for leadership. His influence extends through the aerospace supply chain, which has struggled to return to pre-Covid production levels, leaving airlines without all the new, fuel-efficient capacity they need.

Culp, 63, works regularly with GE suppliers to improve performance through lean management, a process that harks back to the statistical process controls and continuous improvement practiced by manufacturing companies in postwar Japan.

Culp is a no-drama leader, which investors appreciate. Nor has GE experienced the production delays that have plagued RTX, its aircraft engine competitor, lately.

GE isn't an artificial-intelligence-focused company, but its stock has been delivering AI-like returns of late. Its much-admired boss may have something to do with that.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com

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June 19, 2026 21:31 ET (01:31 GMT)

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