Boeing Appoints Kelly Ortberg as New CEO

Boeing has officially named Kelly Ortberg as its new president and CEO, set to take over from Dave Calhoun starting August 8.

Ortberg brings over 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry, having started his career as an engineer at Texas Instruments in the early 1980s. He joined Rockwell Collins in 1987 and worked his way up to become the company’s president and CEO in 2013.

During his time at Rockwell Collins, Ortberg successfully led the company through its merger with United Technologies and RTX, before retiring in 2021.

Steven Mollenkopf, the Chair of Boeing’s Board, expressed confidence in Ortberg, saying, “Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry.” Mollenkopf emphasized the importance of Ortberg’s leadership during this critical time for Boeing.

Before Ortberg’s appointment, there was speculation about other candidates, including Pat Shanahan from Spirit Aerosystems and Stephanie Pope from Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Calhoun had been at the helm since January 2020, guiding Boeing through a tough period following two fatal crashes involving the 737 Max.

Calhoun faced challenges during his tenure, notably scrutiny after an incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane. Since then, Boeing has made various changes, such as increasing inspections and slowing down 737 Max production.

As Boeing reported a significant loss of $1.4 billion recently, Calhoun praised Ortberg’s understanding of the current issues, stating that he knows the company needs to focus on recovery and stabilization.