Joseph (Joe) E. Creed

Joseph E. (Joe) Creed is chief executive officer (CEO) of Caterpillar Inc. and a member of its board of directors.

As CEO, Creed leads a team of nearly 113,000 employees across 63 countries. Creed oversees the execution of the company’s strategy for profitable growth with a focus on operational excellence, expanded offerings, services and sustainability. In his nearly 30 years across multiple divisions of the corporation, Creed has developed a deep understanding of the diverse operations and strategic opportunities crucial to enhancing Caterpillar’s global leadership. As the company embarks on its second century, he is dedicated to honoring the company’s rich legacy, leveraging the technologies that will drive its future and focusing on its greatest competitive advantage, Caterpillar’s people.

Creed joined Caterpillar in 1997 and has held positions of increasing responsibility across the company. In 2013, he was promoted to chief financial officer for Caterpillar's Energy & Transportation segment, then to senior vice president of Caterpillar Finance Services in 2017. Creed served as Caterpillar’s interim chief financial officer in 2018 before becoming senior vice president of the Oil & Gas and Marine division and the Electric Power division in 2019. He was promoted to group president of Energy & Transportation in 2021 where he led record financial performance, introduced advancements in engine power density, established a dedicated battery and advanced power organization, and oversaw service-focused acquisitions to amplify the company’s capabilities in both oil and gas, and distributed power generation. Creed was named Caterpillar’s chief operating officer in 2023.

Creed graduated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and completed Caterpillar’s flagship executive leadership program conducted by Stanford University specifically for Caterpillar leaders, dealers and suppliers. He serves on the Western Illinois University President's National Advisory Council and is a member of the board and past chairman for Easterseals of Central Illinois.

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