ATI names J. Robert Foster as Chief Financial Officer
Rhea-AI Summary
ATI (NYSE: ATI) named James Robert "Rob" Foster as Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, effective January 1, 2026.
Foster, an internal appointee who led Specialty Alloys & Components and previously oversaw finance, supply chain and capital projects, succeeds Don Newman, who will become Strategic Advisor to the CEO on January 1, 2026 and retire on March 1, 2026.
The company reiterated its Q4 and full-year 2025 guidance and described Foster's hire as intended to drive disciplined investment, operational excellence and long-term shareholder value.
Positive
- Internal promotion preserves institutional knowledge
- Effective date of CFO role: January 1, 2026
- Company reiterated Q4 and full-year 2025 guidance
Negative
- Outgoing CFO retirement on March 1, 2026 reduces incumbent tenure
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
ATI was roughly flat (0.01%) while peers were mixed: CRS -4.15%, ESAB -2.3%, but MLI +0.5%, WOR +0.78%, PRLB +1.11%. This points to a company-specific governance event rather than a coordinated sector move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 18 | Leadership/board change | Positive | -0.6% | CEO Kimberly Fields elected Board Chair, emphasizing unified leadership for growth. |
| Oct 28 | Earnings results | Positive | +7.4% | Q3 2025 beat with higher aerospace sales and raised full-year guidance. |
| Sep 30 | Earnings webcast | Neutral | +2.6% | Scheduled Q3 2025 earnings call and webcast details for investors. |
| Sep 10 | Board appointments | Positive | +2.0% | Added two senior aerospace executives to board to support growth strategy. |
| Sep 10 | CFO retirement | Neutral | +2.0% | Announced Don Newman’s March 2026 retirement and reaffirmed 2025 guidance. |
Recent governance and strategy news, including CFO succession and board changes, has generally seen modest positive price alignment, with one instance of mild divergence on leadership consolidation.
Over the last several months, ATI has highlighted leadership evolution and strengthening of its aerospace and defense focus. Prior news includes the CFO’s planned retirement effective March 1, 2026, board refresh with aerospace leaders, and CEO Kimberly Fields’ election as Board Chair effective May 14, 2026. Strong Q3 2025 results with raised guidance supported a positive move. Today’s appointment of Rob Foster as CFO formalizes the previously signaled succession, fitting into this broader continuity narrative.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement formalizes ATI’s previously signaled CFO succession, naming Rob Foster effective January 1, 2026 while Don Newman transitions to an advisory role through March 1, 2026. It emphasizes continuity, as Foster has held senior finance and operational roles across ATI’s businesses. In the context of recent strong earnings and leadership updates, investors may watch how Foster executes on capital deployment, operational discipline, and maintaining ATI’s aerospace and defense growth trajectory.
Key Terms
erp technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Proven ATI leader brings operational depth and financial discipline to drive next phase of growth
Foster, a longtime ATI leader, brings a unique combination of operational depth and financial discipline to the CFO role. He most recently served as President of ATI's Specialty Alloys & Components business, where he improved efficiency, expanded capacity, and advanced ATI's position as a global leader in exotic alloys. Foster previously served as ATI's Vice President of Finance, Supply Chain and Capital Projects, overseeing the Company's global finance organization, capital deployment processes, and enterprise supply chain performance. Earlier, he led Finance for both ATI operating segments and the Forged Products business.
"Rob is a proven P&L leader with enterprise-wide experience in the areas that matter most to ATI's continued growth," said Kim Fields, President and CEO of ATI. "He brings deep expertise not only in finance but also as an operational leader. Rob played a pivotal role in the successful Specialty Rolled Products transformation, consistently helping ATI to deliver strong returns and shareholder value. I look forward to partnering with him as we enter our next phase of profitable growth."
"I'm honored to become ATI's next CFO," said Foster. "ATI is well-positioned with a strong balance sheet, focused strategy, and significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to working with our team to drive disciplined investment, operational excellence, and long-term value creation for our shareholders."
Newman added, "Rob is an exceptional leader who understands ATI's strategy, operations, and financial drivers. He has delivered transformative results across the organization. I look forward to supporting a seamless transition as we pursue this next step in our succession planning."
Before joining ATI in 2012, Rob held senior finance roles at API Technologies Corp. and Spectrum Control Inc., where he led ERP implementations, acquisition integrations, and internal control enhancements. He began his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young (EY). Foster holds a bachelor's degree from Robert Morris University and an MBA from Penn State University.
ATI today reiterated its guidance for the fourth quarter and full year 2025.
ATI: Proven to Perform
ATI (NYSE: ATI) is a producer of high-performance materials and solutions for the global aerospace and defense markets, and critical applications in electronics, medical and specialty energy. We're solving the world's most difficult challenges through materials science. We partner with our customers to deliver extraordinary materials that enable their greatest achievements: their products fly higher and faster, burn hotter, dive deeper, stand stronger and last longer. Our proprietary process technologies, unique customer partnerships and commitment to innovation deliver materials and solutions for today and the evermore challenging environments of tomorrow. We are proven to perform anywhere. Learn more at ATImaterials.com.
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SOURCE ATI
FAQ
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