United Tech brings back company veteran as new CFO

(Reuters) - United Technologies Corp is bringing back a company veteran to be the U.S. conglomerate's finance chief, the company's first major personnel move since former CFO Greg Hayes became chief executive last month.

Akhil Johri will become United Tech's CFO starting Jan. 1, returning from Pall Corp, where he had also been CFO. Before joining Pall in May 2013, Johri has spent 26 years at United Tech, including as CFO of the UTC Propulsion & Aerospace Systems business.

Peter Longo, who had been serving as United Tech's acting CFO, will return to his prior post as CFO of UTC Propulsion & Aerospace Systems.

Hayes became CEO of the maker of Otis elevators, Pratt & Whitney jet engines and Sikorsky helicopters on Nov. 24. United Tech said then that its prior chief executive and chairman Louis Chenevert was retiring with immediate effect, an announcement that stunned Wall Street.

The company's new chairman, Edward Kangas, has since said that Chenevert stepped down late last month after Kangas spoke to him out of concern about his priorities.

Johri, 53, also previously served as head of United Tech's investor relations, and held senior financial roles at UTC Fire and Security and Carrier Corp.

Pall said it was evaluating its succession options for Johri.

United Tech is hosting analysts and investors for its annual outlook meeting in New York on Thursday.

(Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf Editing by W Simon)