FirstEnergy Announces Senior Leadership Appointments in Business Transformation, Ethics & Compliance and Security

Rhea-AI Summary

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) announced senior leadership appointments effective June 28, 2026, emphasizing business transformation, ethics, compliance and data protection.

Antonio Fernández becomes Vice President of Business Transformation, Deandra Williams-Lewis becomes Vice President and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, and Brian Harrell adds the role of Chief Privacy Officer to his Chief Security Officer position.

Positive

• Creation of dedicated Business Transformation leadership role to enhance performance and strategic execution
• Appointment of a new Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer with broad risk and governance experience
• Chief Security Officer assuming Chief Privacy Officer role, unifying security and privacy oversight
• Leadership moves aim to strengthen integrity, accountability and data protection across the company

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction – FE

+0.67%

+0.67% Session close to close

In the Jun 18 session, FE gained 0.67%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement highlights leadership upgrades in business transformation, ethics and privacy acro...

Analysis

This announcement highlights leadership upgrades in business transformation, ethics and privacy across a platform serving over 6 million customers and operating 24,000 miles of transmission lines. Investors may watch how these roles influence execution and compliance oversight.

Key Figures

Start date: June 28, 2026 Customer base: More than 6 million customers Transmission network: More than 24,000 miles +1 more

4 metrics

Start date June 28, 2026 Effective date for new leadership roles

Customer base More than 6 million customers Electric distribution companies served across six states

Transmission network More than 24,000 miles Transmission lines operated by FirstEnergy subsidiaries

Pre-news price $46.15 per share Share price before publication of leadership announcement

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jun 02 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Jun 02	Debt exchange offer	Neutral	-0.1%	Subsidiary extended exchange offer for multiple senior note series.
May 26	Ohio rate plan filing	Neutral	+0.3%	Ohio utilities filed three-year rate plan to fund grid upgrades.
May 18	WV rate review request	Neutral	+1.1%	Subsidiaries requested rate review proposing paths to fund reliability investments.
Apr 28	Q1 2026 earnings	Neutral	-1.3%	Reported Q1 2026 results and reaffirmed guidance and capital plan.
Apr 27	Community outreach program	Neutral	+0.1%	Pennsylvania unit hosted tree giveaway tied to Earth and Arbor Days.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent news for FE has typically produced only modest single-day price reactions.

Key Terms

chief privacy officer, chief security officer, ethics & compliance, critical infrastructure protection

4 terms

chief privacy officer regulatory

"Brian Harrell, Vice President and Chief Security Officer, will assume the additional role of Chief Privacy Officer."

A chief privacy officer (CPO) is the senior executive who oversees how a company collects, uses, stores and shares personal data, and makes sure the business follows privacy laws and its own rules. For investors, the CPO matters because good privacy management acts like a gatekeeper that reduces the risk of costly data breaches, fines and reputation loss, which can directly affect revenue, customer loyalty and company value.

chief security officer technical

"Brian Harrell, Vice President and Chief Security Officer, will assume the additional role of Chief Privacy Officer."

A chief security officer (CSO) is the senior executive responsible for protecting a company's people, physical assets, and information systems by setting security strategy, overseeing prevention and response to breaches, and ensuring compliance with laws and standards. For investors, the CSO's effectiveness influences a company's operational continuity, legal and financial risk, and reputation—think of the CSO as the head of a company's defenses whose strength can prevent costly breaches and business disruptions.

ethics & compliance regulatory

"Vice President and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, beginning June 28."

Ethics & compliance are the policies, training and controls a company uses to make sure employees follow laws and act responsibly—think of them as a combined rulebook and moral compass that guide daily decisions. Investors care because strong ethics and compliance reduce the risk of fines, legal trouble and reputational damage, protecting cash flow and long‑term value, whereas weak programs can lead to sudden costs and loss of trust.

critical infrastructure protection technical

"building deep expertise in cybersecurity, physical security, privacy, resilience and critical infrastructure protection."

Critical infrastructure protection is the set of measures, plans and systems that keep essential services—like power, water, transportation, hospitals and communications—running and safe from attacks, accidents or natural disasters. For investors it matters because failures or gaps can stop business operations, trigger regulatory fines, force costly repairs, and damage market value, much like a neighborhood locking doors and keeping backup generators to prevent a blackout from collapsing daily life.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Antonio Fernández appointed Vice President of Business Transformation; Deandra Williams-Lewis named Vice President and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer; Brian Harrell assumes additional role of Chief Privacy Officer

AKRON, Ohio, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) today announced a series of senior leadership appointments that underscore a commitment to operational excellence, integrity and data protection.

After a comprehensive external and internal search process, Antonio Fernández has been named Vice President of Business Transformation, starting June 28, reporting to Jon Taylor, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

In this role, Fernández will lead a team focused on enhancing performance, simplifying processes, improving efficiency and supporting execution of key strategic priorities.

"Antonio's leadership experience, enterprise perspective and proven track record of delivering results make him uniquely qualified to lead this function," said Brian X. Tierney, Board Chairman, President and CEO of FirstEnergy. "His ability to drive meaningful change and develop strong teams will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen how we operate and deliver value."

Fernández brings five years of exceptional leadership as FirstEnergy's Vice President and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, during which he strengthened and advanced the company's Ethics & Compliance program, reinforced a culture of integrity and accountability, and enhanced risk management and compliance capabilities.

Before FirstEnergy, Fernández held senior ethics, compliance, privacy and legal roles at Public Service Enterprise Group, GE Power, Florida Power & Light and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. He began his career in the Honors Program at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of the General Counsel.

Succeeding Fernández, Deandra Williams-Lewis has been appointed Vice President and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, beginning June 28. She will report to Hyun Park, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, and to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.

In her new role, Williams-Lewis will lead FirstEnergy's Ethics & Compliance function, overseeing ethics and compliance risks, guiding policies, procedures and controls, and ensuring effective issue management and reporting across the company. She will continue to strengthen the company's culture of integrity and accountability.

Williams-Lewis most recently served as Director, Ethics & Compliance and Chief Privacy Officer for FirstEnergy, where she played a key role in advancing the company's ethics, compliance and privacy programs. She has broad leadership experience in ethics, compliance, privacy, corporate services and business operations, with prior roles at ReliabilityFirst, GE Lighting, KPMG, BearingPoint, Altos Federal Group and Maxim Healthcare.

Additionally, Brian Harrell, Vice President and Chief Security Officer, will assume the additional role of Chief Privacy Officer. In this expanded capacity, Harrell will lead the company's privacy program and continue to enhance the protection of sensitive customer and employee information. He brings extensive expertise in security, risk management and regulatory compliance to the role.

Before joining FirstEnergy, Harrell held senior security leadership roles at Avangrid Energy, Duke Energy and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, building deep expertise in cybersecurity, physical security, privacy, resilience and critical infrastructure protection.

"These leadership changes reflect the depth of talent across our organization and our focus on positioning FirstEnergy for long-term success," Tierney added. "We are confident Antonio, Deandra and Brian will continue to make a meaningful impact as they take on these important responsibilities."

Editor's Note: Professional photos of Fernández, Williams-Lewis and Harrell are available for download on Flickr.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than 6 million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/firstenergy-announces-senior-leadership-appointments-in-business-transformation-ethics--compliance-and-security-302804357.html

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

FAQ

What leadership changes did FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) announce on June 18, 2026?

FirstEnergy announced three senior leadership changes focused on transformation, ethics, compliance and privacy. According to FirstEnergy, Antonio Fernández will lead Business Transformation, Deandra Williams-Lewis will oversee Ethics & Compliance, and Brian Harrell will add the Chief Privacy Officer role.

Who is Antonio Fernández and what is his new role at FirstEnergy (FE)?

Antonio Fernández has been appointed Vice President of Business Transformation at FirstEnergy. According to FirstEnergy, he will lead efforts to enhance performance, simplify processes, improve efficiency and support key strategic priorities, reporting to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jon Taylor.

What responsibilities will Deandra Williams-Lewis have as FirstEnergy’s Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer?

Deandra Williams-Lewis will lead FirstEnergy’s Ethics & Compliance function. According to FirstEnergy, she will oversee ethics and compliance risks, guide policies, procedures and controls, ensure effective issue management and reporting, and report to the Chief Legal Officer and the Board’s Audit Committee.

What new role is Brian Harrell taking on at FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE)?

Brian Harrell will assume the additional role of Chief Privacy Officer while remaining Chief Security Officer. According to FirstEnergy, he will lead the company’s privacy program and continue enhancing protection of sensitive customer and employee information, leveraging his security and risk management experience.

How do these 2026 leadership appointments support FirstEnergy’s long-term strategy?

The appointments are intended to strengthen transformation, ethics, compliance and data protection capabilities. According to FirstEnergy, the roles focus on improving operational performance, reinforcing a culture of integrity and accountability, and better safeguarding sensitive information to support long-term operational and governance objectives.

When do the new FirstEnergy leadership roles for Fernández and Williams-Lewis become effective?

The new leadership roles for Antonio Fernández and Deandra Williams-Lewis take effect on June 28. According to FirstEnergy, both executives will then formally assume responsibility for Business Transformation and Ethics & Compliance, respectively, within the company’s senior management structure.