Global investment firm The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) today announced that it has named Gretchen McClain, former Chief Executive Officer of water technology company Xylem, Inc., as an Operating Executive consultant for the Industrial & Transportation team.

As an Operating Executive, Ms. McClain will provide strategic guidance to Carlyle professionals throughout the investment process, from sourcing to acquisition, and advise portfolio company executives on management, operations and growth strategies. She joins a distinguished group of nearly 50 Carlyle Operating Executives, Senior Advisors and Operating Advisors with an average of more than 30 years of experience. Ms. McClain will also continue to devote time to various roles outside of the firm.

Brian Bernasek, Carlyle Managing Director and Head of the Global Industrial & Transportation Group, said, “Gretchen has deep experience as a proven leader across several industrial subsectors. Her perspectives will be particularly valuable as we evaluate new investment opportunities and work to improve the operating performance of our portfolio companies.”

Ms. McClain, said, “Carlyle’s Operating Executives are an important part of the firm’s value creation model and I am proud to be a part of that. I look forward to working with the Carlyle team to help businesses grow, respond to market dynamics and innovate.”

Ms. McClain was most recently the founding Chief Executive Officer of Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a global water technology provider with over $5 billion of revenue. During her tenure, Ms. McClain was instrumental in leading Xylem through its spinoff from ITT Corporation to become a successful standalone company. Prior to leading Xylem, she served as President of ITT Fluid Motion and Control, a $4.5 billion diversified manufacturer of highly engineered technology and equipment, where she led the organization to double-digit revenue growth.

Prior to ITT, Ms. McClain held a number of executive positions at Honeywell Aerospace (formerly AlliedSignal), including Vice President and General Manager of the Business, General Aviation, and Helicopters Electronics Systems Division and Chief Technology Officer of Aerospace Engines and Systems. Earlier in her career, McClain spent nine years with NASA, including serving as Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Development, the top management position responsible for NASA’s International Space Station (ISS). In this capacity, she played a pivotal leadership role in the successful development and launch of the ISS program and Shuttle/Mir missions.

Ms. McClain holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah and currently serves on the boards of Ametek, Boart Longyear, Booz Allen Hamilton, and J.M. Huber Corporation.

About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across four business segments: Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Credit and Investment Solutions. With $223 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2019, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,775 people in 33 offices across six continents.