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Leadership History

TE Connectivity: CEO History

2 leaders · 2006 to present

Who is the CEO of TE Connectivity?

Terrence Curtin is the CEO of TE Connectivity, in the role since 2017. The first chief executive was Tom Lynch, from 2006.

Current CEO
Terrence Curtin (since 2017)
First CEO
Tom Lynch (2006)
Leaders documented
2
Founded
2007
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Terrence R. CurtinChief Executive Officer2017Present9
Tom LynchChief Executive Officer2006201711
Who was CEO of TE Connectivity before Terrence R. Curtin?
Tom Lynch was CEO of TE Connectivity from 2006 to 2017, before Terrence R. Curtin took over in 2017.

Company Overview

TE Connectivity reported FY2025 net sales of $17.262 billion and net income of $1.842 billion, and grew Q3 FY2026 sales 14% to $5.16 billion. Terrence Curtin has been CEO since March 2017. The company is legally based in Galway, Ireland, trades on the NYSE as TEL and employs more than 90,000 people. The company is headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

TE Connectivity earns revenue by selling engineered connectors, sensors, relays, terminals, wire and cable assemblies to manufacturers that design them into long-lived products. Engineers co-design parts with automakers, industrial OEMs, data-center hardware makers, utilities and aerospace and medical customers; once a part is qualified for a platform, it tends to ship for the life of that program. Since fiscal 2025 TE reports two segments. Transportation Solutions (about 54% of FY2025 net sales) covers automotive, commercial transportation and sensors. Industrial Solutions (about 46%) covers automation and connected living, aerospace, defense and marine, energy, digital data networks and medical. Industrial was the faster grower in fiscal 2026, with sales up more than 20% in the third quarter on AI data-center and grid demand, helped by the $2.3 billion Richards Manufacturing acquisition (closed April 2025). Sales go both directly to OEMs and through electronics distributors.

Terrence R. Curtin

Chief Executive Officer

2017 – Present

9 years (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

Reorganized TE into two segments in fiscal 2025, moved the legal domicile to Ireland in 2024, and pushed into AI data-center and grid markets through Richards Manufacturing and the pending Astrodyne TDI purchase.

Legacy

Curtin joined Tyco Electronics in 2006 and was CFO and then President before becoming CEO in March 2017. Under him TE delivered record FY2026 quarterly results, including Q3 sales of $5.16 billion.

Tom Lynch

Chief Executive Officer

2006 – 2017

11 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Lynch orchestrated the massive renaming and restructuring of Tyco Electronics into TE Connectivity in 2011, definitively severing the company from the catastrophic Dennis Kozlowski-era scandals.

Legacy

As CEO, he aggressively pivoted the company away from consumer electronics and heavily into highly engineered, high-margin automotive and aerospace sensors.

Challenges & Strategic Context

Key risks are cyclical automotive production (especially in China and Europe), tariffs and trade tension, copper and precious-metal input costs, a heavy dependence on AI data-center spending for recent Industrial growth, and integration of acquisitions such as Richards Manufacturing and the pending $1.4 billion Astrodyne TDI deal.

TE Connectivity CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is the current Chief Executive Officer of TE Connectivity?

Terrence R. Curtin serves as Chief Executive Officer of TE Connectivity plc, having held the position since March 2017 after previously serving as President and Chief Financial Officer.

What is Terrence Curtin's background and history with TE Connectivity?

Terrence Curtin joined AMP in 2001 (via Tyco) from Arthur Andersen. He served as Corporate Controller, Chief Financial Officer of Tyco Electronics during its 2007 spin-off, President of Industrial Solutions, and Company President prior to his CEO appointment.

What key strategic initiatives has Terrence Curtin executed as CEO?

Curtin sharpened TE's portfolio toward high-margin harsh-environment connectors and sensors, divested lower-margin commodity businesses, drove adjusted operating margins to 22%, executed the $2.3B Richards deal, and positioned TE for the AI compute boom.

Who was Thomas J. Lynch and what was his role in TE Connectivity's history?

Thomas (Tom) J. Lynch served as CEO of Tyco Electronics / TE Connectivity from 2006 to 2017 and Executive Chairman from 2017 to 2018. He led the company through its successful 2007 NYSE spin-off from Tyco, rebranded the firm to TE Connectivity, and established its independent culture.

Who was Uncas A. Whitaker and what was his role as founder of predecessor AMP?

Uncas A. Whitaker (1900–1975) was a mechanical engineer, patent attorney, and entrepreneur who founded Aircraft-Marine Products (AMP) in 1941, invented the solderless crimped terminal, and served as President and Chairman for decades.

What role did Edward D. Breen play in TE Connectivity's creation?

Edward D. Breen became Chairman and CEO of Tyco International in 2002 amidst corporate governance crises. He stabilized the conglomerate and orchestrated the historic 2007 three-way spinoff that established Tyco Electronics as an independent public company.

Who serves as Chief Financial Officer of TE Connectivity under Terrence Curtin?

Heath Mitts serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TE Connectivity, having joined in 2016 to lead finance, capital allocation, investor relations, and enterprise transformation.

How is TE Connectivity's Board of Directors structured?

TE Connectivity maintains an independent Board of Directors chaired by Mark Trudeau. The board oversees committees for Audit, Management Development & Compensation, and Nominating, Governance & Sustainability.

How does TE align executive compensation with shareholder value?

TE's executive compensation framework ties substantial equity grants and cash incentives directly to adjusted EPS growth, Free Cash Flow conversion, organic revenue growth, Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), and workplace safety.

What management changes accompanied the 2024 corporate re-domiciliation to Ireland?

The redomiciliation to Ireland streamlined global corporate legal operations without disrupting operational leadership, retaining executive management offices in Berwyn, Pennsylvania and regional European centers.

How did Terrence Curtin manage the company during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Curtin maintained operational continuity across global manufacturing sites, accelerated automated assembly investments, protected free cash flow, and ensured resilient supply chains for medical ventilators and essential automotive customers.

What is Terrence Curtin's long-term strategic vision for TE Connectivity?

Curtin envisions TE as an indispensable global technology leader capturing high-margin secular growth across automotive electrification, autonomous mobility, renewable power infrastructure, and artificial intelligence computing.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.