Summary

  • CEO search for Boeing continues, with GE Aerospace’s Larry Culp reportedly turning down the role.
  • Boeing’s next top boss is expected to pull the company out of its current crisis.
  • The aerospace company has been facing heavy scrutiny for its production practices.

With Boeing’s current CEO, Dave Calhoun, slated to step down from his position at the end of this year, the hunt is on for the next top boss to lead the aerospace company. Typically, there would have been many candidates vying for the role, but with Boeing’s current crisis, industry leaders and potential candidates seem to be hesitant to fill up that position. And one such person is reportedly GE Aerospace’s Larry Culp.

CEO search continues

Boeing is considering many potential candidates from the industry to take the position of its next CEO. However, several reports suggest that the search is not going well. One of the names floating around was GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp. However, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, he has turned down the request.

Culp was considered one of the leading candidates Boeing was considering to replace the outgoing Calhoun. However, he has denied being interested in the role several times in recent months and even told Reuters that he would serve Boeing by being its best supplier.

Heavily scrutinized position

In March, Boeing’s current CEO, Dave Calhoun, resigned and said he would step down by the end of this year. Since then, there has been speculation about who would lead the company as it looks to rebuild its reputation from the current crisis.

But finding a person with the right leadership skills as well as technical and manufacturing know-how is proving more difficult than anticipated. Furthermore, the job is expected to be heavily scrutinized by regulators, Boeing’s customers, the media, and even the general public, with the next CEO expected to pull the company out of its current difficulties.

Renton, Washington / USA - September 09 2018: Multiple engineless Boeing 737 MAX outside the assembly line parked at Renton Airport waiting for flight tests, painting and delivery.

Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock

Earlier this year, David Gitlin, Carrier Global CEO and Boeing director, was rumored to be the front-runner for the role. Stephanie Pope, who not too long ago was named Boeing’s COO, and Patrick Shanahan, head of Boeing’s supplier Spirit AeroSystems, were other contenders, but nothing has materialized so far.

Several industry insiders have given their opinions about what qualities Boeing’s next CEO should possess. IATA CEO Willie Walsh said recently that the future Boeing CEO should have a clear understanding of what went wrong. Others think that the next top boss should be in it for the long run and not be a transition candidate. Bloomberg Law quotes Ron Epstein, an analyst at Bank of America, as saying,

“It’s a heavy lift, a really heavy lift. On some level, it’s a labor of love. It’s not going to be a year, not five years, probably seven to eight years.”

Tough phase for Boeing

Boeing’s current crisis is one of the toughest it has faced in its entire history. From the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes a few years ago to the Alaska Airlines blowout incident earlier this year to the current issues with some undelivered 787 Dreamliners and everything in between, the company is facing serious questions regarding its production quality.

Boeing logo on one of its buildings in California

Photo: Tada Images | Shutterstock

Related

IATA Believes Future Boeing CEO Should Have A Clear Understanding Of “What Went Wrong”

The ability to look objectively at the past is key, while Emirates President Sir Tim Clark suggested the incoming CEO should be a great communicator.

Calhoun will be at a US Senate sub-committee hearing, facing questions regarding Boeing’s questionable practices in recent years. He has accepted that Boeing’s culture is far from perfect but that they understand the gravity of the situation. Hopefully, the company will find its next leader soon and try to rebuild itself successfully.

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