Boeing names Kelly Ortberg CEO to replace Calhoun
Boeing has named its replacement for departing CEO Dave Calhoun as Kelly Ortberg, former CEO of Rockwell Collins and later RTX.
Calhoun will depart on 8 August when Ortberg will begin his leadership.
Chair of the Boeing board of directors, Steven Mollenkopf, said Ortberg had the required experience in the aerospace sector to lead the business out of a tumultuous era under Calhoun.
“The Board conducted a thorough and extensive search process over the last several months to select the next CEO of Boeing and Kelly has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter. Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and running complex engineering and manufacturing companies. We look forward to working with him as he leads Boeing through this consequential period in its long history.”
“The Board would also like to thank Dave Calhoun for his strong leadership at Boeing, first as Chair and then as CEO, when he stepped in to steer the company through the challenges of recent years,” Mollenkopf added.
Ortberg, who will also take over as president of Boeing, said he was “honoured” but did not shy away from the task ahead of him.
“I’m extremely honoured and humbled to join this iconic company. Boeing has a tremendous and rich history as a leader and pioneer in our industry…There is much work to be done, and I’m looking forward to getting started,” he told the media.
Boeing has recently finalised payments to the Securities and Exchange Commission over the 737 MAX scandal and accepted a plea deal with the US government over the deadly incidents as it seeks to turn a corner after technology failures, manufacturing faults, and whistleblower pressure.
Despite the troubles, the manufacturer is receiving orders and delivering planes. Its losses have also been tempered by wider supply chain issues in the industry, which have held back its main competitor Airbus and component providers, lessening the gap that could have widened further with Boeing’s drop.
