Chip Blankenship, a General Electric Co. ( GE ) veteran, became Arconic's Chief Executive in mid-January, an appointment that seems to have appeased Arconic's biggest shareholder, activist investor Elliott Management. While Blankenship has only been on the job for three weeks, he sees the potential for progress. "In 2017, Arconic made progress on growing revenue and profits and taking out cost," CEO Chip Blankenship said in a statement. "However, a significant opportunity for improvement remains." "I am convinced that if we stay focused on four priorities -- customers, people, operational excellence and technology -- we will deliver on Arconic's potential," Blankenship continued. Blankenship initiated a review of Arconic's strategy and portfolio to determine how best to unlock the company's potential. While details were scarce, the company said the review would be complete by year-end.