Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down at year’s end

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is stepping down at the end of 2024 as the aerospace giant grapples with fallout stemming from the 737 Max crisis. 

Calhoun, who was tapped to turn around the company in 2020, will “lead Boeing through the year to complete the critical work underway to stabilize and position the company for the future,” the company said in a statement Monday.

BOEING SECURITY FOOTAGE OF WORK ON JET WITH FAILED DOOR PLUG IS UNAVAILABLE, NTSB SAYS

Aside from Calhoun’s departure, Boeing announced an overhaul of its management team as it tries to turn around its reputation.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) chief Stan Deal will also step down, effective immediately. Deal is being replaced by Stephanie Pope, who has been serving as the chief operating officer. Pope was in charge of overseeing the performance of Boeing’s three business units – Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Boeing Defense, Space & Security and Boeing Global Services.

BOEING BATTERED AS INCIDENTS PILE UP

Independent Board Chair Larry Kellner also announced plans to resign. He will be replaced by Steve Mollenkopf, who has been a Boeing director since 2020 and will be in charge of leading the process of selecting Boeing’s next chief executive.

In a Monday letter to employees, Calhoun said the Jan. 5 incident where a door plug blew off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 at 16,000 feet “was a watershed moment for Boeing.” 

“We must continue to respond to this accident with humility and complete transparency. We also must inculcate a total commitment to safety and quality at every level of our company,” Calhoun said.

Calhoun said that all eyes are on the company but that it “will come through this moment a better company, building on all the learnings we accumulated as we worked together to rebuild Boeing over the last number of years.” 

The management change-up comes as regulators continue to press Boeing to make changes after quality issues were discovered in an audit of 737 Max manufacturing processes.