Smitha Hariharan

Smitha Hariharan was appointed vice president and chief sustainability officer of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation in 2024. In this newly created role, she will help to drive Gulfstream’s sustainable transformation and stated industry goals by aligning its business strategies with sustainability principles while creating long-term value through impactful thought leadership.

Before that Hariharan was Head of Sustainability at Halliburton Energy Services, where she developed Halliburton’s global short and long-term sustainability strategy. While in this role, she identified new pathways to decarbonization, operationalized sustainability metrics, and enhanced supply chain governance. She also oversaw sustainability governance and engagements with internal and external stakeholders. She started her career as an engineer working in onshore and offshore exploration and has subsequently held leadership roles in operations management, product management, and business development. During her career, Smitha has worked in Canada, Norway, Middle East and Asia in addition to North America. Smitha is passionate about enabling and accelerating the sustainability transition from within the industry.

Smitha received her BS in Electronics Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), MS in Engineering Management from Missouri University of Science &Technology, and an MBA with a focus on Sustainability from Yale University. She is also a Fellow at the Aspen Institute for Business and Society.

In 2022, Hariharan was the recipient of the Ally Energy GRIT Award, regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant recognition in the energy industry worldwide.

Smitha takes an active role in mentoring and supporting women owned businesses. She and her husband are also passionate about supporting organizations that actively promote biodiversity, conservation, and children’s education. She lives in Savannah, GA with her husband and two children.