John Francis Welch Jr. (November 19, 1935 – March 1, 2020) was an American business executive. He served as chairman and CEO of General Electric (GE) between 1981 and 2001. During his 20-year tenure, GE's market value grew from $14 billion to $600 billion, and he has frequently been cited as one of the greatest chief executives of the twentieth century.
Under Welch's leadership, GE acquired the RCA Corporation in 1986.