Suzette M. Long, chief legal officer and general counsel at Caterpillar, will retire on Dec. 31 following an 18-year career at the company. Derek Owens, who currently serves as vice president and deputy general counsel, will assume the role of senior vice president and general counsel on July 1. Following a period of transition, he will become chief legal officer and general counsel, effective Jan. 1.

“Suzette has been a trusted advisor, strategic business partner and an invaluable colleague to our executive office,” Jim Umpleby, chairman and CEO of Caterpillar, said. “She strengthened the legal function while supporting the execution of our strategy for profitable growth and helped lead Caterpillar through complex matters while reinforcing our commitment to help our customers build a better, more sustainable world. We have relied on Suzette’s exemplary leadership, advice and sound judgment over the years, and her contributions to Caterpillar went far beyond the law, security and public policy division. I thank Suzette for her dedicated service.”

Owens joined Caterpillar in 2019 as associate general counsel for litigation and investigations after 15 years of increasing responsibility at the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Department of Justice, where he last served as a deputy chief. At Caterpillar, Owens has led teams in various practice areas in the legal department. In his current role, Owens is responsible for overseeing and providing legal guidance for commercial and transactional matters for services, distribution and digital, as well as enterprise-wide internal investigations and tax and litigation matters.

“We are fortunate to have a deep bench of talent at Caterpillar,” Umpleby said. “Derek brings a unique set of skills that will benefit our law, security and public policy team and the entire enterprise. On behalf of our leadership team and the board of directors, I wish Suzette all the best in her retirement and congratulate Derek on his new role.”