Elected chairman of the board in 2021, Hayes had a nearly 21-year career at United Technologies Corporation, holding several senior leadership roles across finance, corporate strategy and business development, culminating with his appointment to chief executive officer in 2014 and chairman in 2016. As CEO, Hayes led the reshaping of UTC from industrial conglomerate to a focused aerospace company. Beginning with the divestiture of Sikorsky Aircraft in 2015 and the acquisition of Rockwell Collins in 2018, Hayes continued to focus the business with the spinoffs of Otis Elevator Company and Carrier Corporation in 2020. Hayes then led the merger of UTC's remaining aerospace businesses, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace Systems, with Raytheon Company, to form RTX in April 2020.