There is no verified direct personal or business relationship between Jay-Z and Gregory J. Hayes, the former CEO and executive chairman of RTX, based on the reliable public records and official biographies available as of September 23, 2026. The two are prominent American business figures, but their careers have developed in very different industries.
One source of confusion is the name itself. A different person named Greg Hayes has professional music-production and engineering credits, including work on an Anthony Hamilton album that also contains a Shawn Carter songwriting credit. That music professional should not be confused with Gregory J. Hayes of RTX.
Who Are Jay Z and Greg Hayes?
The keyword “jay z and greg hayes” appears to bring together two successful executives from very different parts of American business.
| Detail | Jay-Z | Gregory J. Hayes |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Shawn Corey Carter | Gregory J. Hayes |
| Born | December 4, 1969 | Around 1960-1961 |
| Best known for | Rap, Roc Nation, entrepreneurship | United Technologies and RTX leadership |
| Primary industries | Music, entertainment, sports, investments | Aerospace, defense, industrials |
| Major leadership role | Co-founder and Chairman of Roc Nation | Former CEO and Executive Chairman of RTX |
| Current notable business activity | Roc Nation and other ventures | Phillips 66 and BD board roles |
Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter in Brooklyn, New York, on December 4, 1969. The Recording Academy lists him among hip-hop’s most decorated artists, with 25 Grammy wins and 89 nominations, while the Songwriters Hall of Fame identifies him as the first rapper inducted into that institution.
Gregory J. Hayes built his career primarily in finance, industrial manufacturing, aerospace and defense. He eventually became CEO of United Technologies Corporation and subsequently led RTX after United Technologies’ aerospace businesses combined with Raytheon Company.
Is There a Verified Jay Z and Greg Hayes Connection?
No significant direct connection has been established in the reliable public record reviewed for this article. Official information about Jay-Z’s companies and activities does not identify Gregory J. Hayes as a partner, executive or collaborator, while Hayes’ corporate disclosures do not identify Jay-Z or Roc Nation as part of his documented professional career.
There is currently no reliable evidence establishing that the two:
- founded a business together
- served on the same corporate board
- announced a joint investment
- worked together through Roc Nation or RTX
- entered a publicly disclosed commercial partnership
- shared an executive role
- jointly established a philanthropic organization
This distinction matters because searches containing two famous names can create the impression that a relationship must exist. In this case, the available evidence instead points to two largely separate professional networks.
Jay-Z’s Business Career Goes Far Beyond Music
Although Jay-Z initially became famous through hip-hop, his professional identity now extends well beyond recording.
Roc Nation describes Jay-Z as its co-founder and chairman. Established in 2008, the company operates across areas including artist management, music, sports, entertainment partnerships and cultural projects.
Jay-Z’s official biography also identifies ventures including Roc-A-Fella, Rocawear, Baseline Studios, Paper Planes, D’USSÉ, Made in America, Marcy Venture Partners, The 40/40 Club and TIDAL. His career therefore spans music ownership, entertainment management, consumer brands and investing rather than simply album sales.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame describes him as both an influential recording artist and chairman of Roc Nation, which represents musicians, songwriters, producers and athletes.
Jay-Z’s Music Record
Jay-Z’s recording career remains central to his public profile.
The Recording Academy states that he was born in Brooklyn and won his first Grammy in 1999 for Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life. By the records available through the 2026 Grammy Awards, he had accumulated 25 Grammy wins and 89 nominations.
His achievements also include induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. His debut album Reasonable Doubt entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2025.
His activity has continued into 2026. Roc Nation’s current biography notes performances commemorating the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint.
Who Is Gregory J. Hayes?
Gregory J. Hayes is an American corporate executive most closely associated with United Technologies Corporation and RTX, the aerospace and defense company formerly called Raytheon Technologies.
Hayes spent decades within United Technologies and predecessor organizations, working across finance, corporate strategy and business development. United Technologies named him president and CEO in November 2014 after he had spent six years as senior vice president and chief financial officer.
He became chairman of United Technologies in 2016.
Hayes subsequently oversaw a major transformation of the company. RTX’s corporate biography credits his leadership with actions including the 2015 Sikorsky divestiture, the 2018 Rockwell Collins acquisition and the 2020 separation of Carrier and Otis.
Greg Hayes and the Formation of RTX
The most important chapter of Hayes’ executive career came in 2020.
United Technologies’ remaining aerospace businesses, including Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, combined with Raytheon Company to create what became Raytheon Technologies and later RTX Corporation. Hayes became CEO of the combined company.
His later RTX positions are documented in Phillips 66’s 2026 proxy statement:
| Period | Greg Hayes’ RTX Role |
|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | President, CEO and Director |
| 2021-May 2024 | Chairman and CEO |
| May 2024-April 2025 | Executive Chairman |
| April 2025-January 2026 | Special Advisor |
Christopher T. Calio succeeded Hayes as RTX CEO in May 2024. RTX then announced that Hayes would step down as executive chairman and leave its board effective April 30, 2025.
That means articles describing Greg Hayes as the current RTX CEO or chairman in 2026 are outdated.
Also Read: Amy Hood and Greg Hayes
What Is Greg Hayes Doing Now?
Hayes remains active in corporate governance even though his RTX executive career has ended.
On May 13, 2026, Phillips 66 announced that its board had appointed Hayes as lead independent director, effective immediately. He had already served on the Phillips 66 board since 2022.
Phillips 66’s 2026 proxy also identifies Becton, Dickinson and Company as another current public-company directorship held by Hayes.
Outside public-company boards, Hayes serves as chairman of NAF, an education nonprofit focused on preparing high-school students for future careers. NAF’s current board page identifies him as chairman and former executive chairman of RTX.
Purdue University, where Hayes graduated in 1982, also announced the Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute in 2026, supported by Greg and Renata Hayes and the Hayes Family Foundation. Purdue describes his career as spanning more than three decades in aerospace and defense leadership.
Jay Z and Greg Hayes Operated in Very Different Industries
The lack of an obvious relationship becomes clearer when their professional histories are compared.
Jay-Z’s network
Jay-Z’s career is centered primarily on:
- recorded music
- entertainment management
- music publishing
- sports representation
- brand partnerships
- media production
- entrepreneurship
- investment ventures
- education and criminal-justice philanthropy
His most identifiable corporate platform remains Roc Nation.
Hayes’ network
Gregory J. Hayes’ career has concentrated on:
- aerospace
- defense
- aircraft engines
- industrial manufacturing
- corporate finance
- mergers and acquisitions
- corporate restructuring
- public-company governance
Phillips 66’s regulatory disclosure specifically highlights his experience in finance, corporate strategy, business development, M&A, global operations and risk management.
These backgrounds demonstrate why simply placing the two names together should not be interpreted as evidence of a partnership.
The Other Greg Hayes in the Music Industry
There is an important search-result complication.
Music databases contain credits for a Greg Hayes who worked as an audio professional, including assistant engineering and mixing roles. AllMusic lists a Greg Hayes with credits on numerous recordings and soundtracks.
One particularly interesting example is Anthony Hamilton’s 2003 album Comin’ from Where I’m From. AllMusic credits Greg Hayes as an assistant on the project, while Shawn Carter, Jay-Z’s real name, also appears among the album’s composer credits.
That does not establish that Jay-Z worked with Gregory J. Hayes of RTX.
The recording professional’s career includes engineering and audio-production credits, whereas Gregory J. Hayes’ documented career was being built at industrial company Sundstrand and later United Technologies during that era. Official corporate histories show Hayes progressing through financial and executive positions rather than working as a recording engineer.
The matching name can therefore produce misleading search associations.
Did Jay-Z Have Any Business Relationship With RTX?
No verified partnership between Jay-Z or Roc Nation and RTX was identified in the authoritative records reviewed for this article.
RTX’s documented businesses operate through Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon, focusing on commercial aerospace, aircraft propulsion and defense technologies. Hayes’ role concerned the management and restructuring of those industrial businesses.
Roc Nation, by contrast, operates primarily within entertainment, music, talent, sports and related commercial ventures.
The fact that both Jay-Z and Hayes are high-profile American business figures is therefore not evidence of an organizational connection.
Could Their Networks Have Indirectly Overlapped?
At a broad level, prominent executives can participate in conferences, investment markets, nonprofit networks or institutions that occasionally overlap. That possibility is different from evidence of a meaningful direct relationship.
No reliable source reviewed here documents a significant meeting, investment, partnership or ongoing professional relationship between Jay-Z and Gregory J. Hayes.
Any claim of a deeper connection should therefore be supported by a specific corporate filing, announcement, interview, event record or other credible primary source rather than inferred from the appearance of their names in search results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Jay-Z and Greg Hayes business partners?
No verified evidence shows that Jay-Z and Gregory J. Hayes, the former RTX executive, are business partners. Their documented careers center on different industries and companies.
Did Greg Hayes work for Roc Nation?
There is no reliable corporate record showing that Gregory J. Hayes worked for Roc Nation. His career was primarily associated with United Technologies and RTX, followed by board positions at companies including Phillips 66 and Becton, Dickinson and Company.
Did Jay-Z work with Raytheon or RTX?
No significant publicly documented partnership between Jay-Z and RTX was identified in the authoritative sources reviewed for this article. Jay-Z’s principal business activities have instead centered on Roc Nation and his other entertainment, investment and philanthropic ventures.
Is Greg Hayes still the CEO of RTX?
No. Christopher T. Calio succeeded Hayes as CEO in May 2024. Hayes became executive chairman, left that position and the RTX board in April 2025, and subsequently served as a special advisor through January 2026.
Why do Jay-Z and Greg Hayes appear together in some music-related searches?
A different professional named Greg Hayes has audio engineering and production credits. AllMusic credits a Greg Hayes on Anthony Hamilton’s Comin’ from Where I’m From, an album that also lists Shawn Carter among its composer credits. This should not be interpreted as evidence that Jay-Z collaborated with former RTX executive Gregory J. Hayes.
What does Greg Hayes do in 2026?
As of September 2026, Gregory J. Hayes is no longer an RTX executive. Phillips 66 appointed him lead independent director in May 2026, and current records also identify him as a director of Becton, Dickinson and Company and chairman of NAF.
Also Read: Ryan Seacrest and Greg Hayes
