Muilenburg out as Boeing CEO
The Boeing Co. announced that President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis A. Muilenburg resigned effective immediately. He will be replaced as CEO and president by Boeing’s current chairman, David L. Calhoun, on January 13.
Boeing Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith will serve as interim CEO during the transition period.
The reshuffle comes as Boeing navigates a period of uncertainty following the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliners that killed 364 people, and the continuing grounding of the 737 Max while the company works to develop a software fix that regulators will accept for the aircraft’s maneuvering characteristics augmentation system.
As that crisis played out and public criticism of Muilenburg escalated, Boeing confronted more bad news when its unmanned Starliner capsule had to scrub a planned docking with the International Space Station when a technical glitch cropped up soon after launch on December 20. The Starliner landed safely in New Mexico two days later.
“The board of directors decided that a change in leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the company moving forward as it works to repair relationships with regulators, customers, and all other stakeholders,” the news release said.
“Under the company's new leadership, Boeing will operate with a renewed commitment to full transparency, including effective and proactive communication with the FAA, other global regulators and its customers.”
Calhoun stepped into his new role with an upbeat message. “I strongly believe in the future of Boeing and the 737 MAX. I am honored to lead this great company and the 150,000 dedicated employees who are working hard to create the future of aviation," he said.
Dan Namowitz
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