Stanley Black & Decker announced Monday that Christopher Nelson will become the company's next president and chief executive officer, effective October 1, replacing Donald Allan Jr., who will transition to executive chair before retiring next year.
The leadership change at the New Britain, Connecticut-based toolmaker represents the culmination of what the board described as a "thoughtful and comprehensive succession planning process". Nelson currently serves as the company's chief operating officer and executive vice president and president of the tools and outdoor business, which generates $13 billion in revenue.
Allan, who has led Stanley Black & Decker as CEO since July 2022 and worked at the company for 26 years, will become executive chair of the board on October 112. He is expected to retire on October 1, 2026, at which point the board intends to revert to an independent board chair governance structure3.
Board Chair Andrea Ayers will become lead independent director and continue to chair the executive committee3. "Don has made an indelible impact on Stanley Black & Decker, and we are deeply appreciative of his leadership over the past 26 years," Ayers said in a statement4.
Nelson joined Stanley Black & Decker in 2023 with more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in product development, innovation and growth transformation12. Before joining the company, he served as president of Carrier's heating, ventilation and air-conditioning segment, and previously held leadership roles with the U.S. Army, Johnson & Johnson and McKinsey & Company13.
He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree in business from Cornell University13.
"I am honored to become President and CEO of Stanley Black & Decker, an iconic American Company with a proud legacy and an incredibly bright future," Nelson said2.
The announcement comes as Stanley Black & Decker continues to expect second quarter earnings performance better than its 2025 planning assumptions from the first quarter earnings call12. The company has been navigating what Allan described as "a very challenging period" while implementing a transformation strategy to streamline operations3.
Allan noted that the timing reflects the company's progress: "As we approach the end of our supply chain transformation and look ahead to the next horizon, the Board and I believe now is the right moment to initiate this transition"3.
