Summary
- Kelly Ortberg, former Rockwell Collins head with over three decades of aerospace experience, is one of the contenders to become Boeing’s next CEO, .
- Several candidates, including Stephanie Pope and Patrick Shanahan, are also being considered for the CEO role.
- The next Boeing CEO will face the challenge of rebuilding customer confidence while reshaping the company’s strategy.
Another name has been added to the list of contenders being considered to lead Boeing after its current CEO, Dave Calhoun, steps down at the end of this year. According to reports, former Rockwell Collins chief Kelly Ortberg is also in the running to become the plane manufacturer’s top boss, and that a decision could be taken soon.
Ex-Rockwell Collins leader being considered
According to a report by The Air Current, former Rockwell Collins chief Kelly Ortberg is now part of the list of candidates being considered to replace Boeing’s current CEO, Dave Calhoun. The report says that Ortberg is actually a serious outside contender for the role and that Boeing wants to make a decision “sooner than later.”
Ortberg has more than three decades of experience in aerospace and defense space and has held several executive positions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa.
Rockwell Collins is a significant producer of aircraft communications, electronics, and aviation systems and has several customers in the commercial and military aviation space. Ortberg headed the company for eight years and retired in 2021 as an adviser to the CEO of RTX. He led the company through various phases, including mergers and restructuring.
While Ortberg is said to be in serious consideration for Boeing’s CEO position, there are others who are also in the race. The Air Current reports that a final choice could emerge as soon as this week.
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Other candidates
Ever since Calhoun announced his decision to step down as Boeing’s CEO, several names have emerged to replace him. Among them is Stephanie Pope, who not too long ago was named the COO of Boeing. Patrick Shanahan, head of Boeing’s supplier Spirit AeroSystems, is also said to be in the race.
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The industry veteran has been with the aerospace company for nearly three decades.
Another name that emerged earlier this year was David Gitlin, Carrier Global CEO and a Boeing director, due to his long and successful career in the aerospace industry. In June, it was also reported that GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp turned down the request to replace Calhoun.
Search continues
Boeing is perhaps going through its toughest crisis yet. Just when it seemed that it was recovering successfully from the two fatal 737 MAX crashes a few years ago, the Alaska Airlines midair blowout incident brought the focus back on its substandard manufacturing processes.
With airlines losing confidence in Boeing, Dave Calhoun announced his decision to step down. Since then, several industry leaders have given their opinions on what the next leader needs to bring to the table to steer the company in the right direction.
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IATA CEO Willie Walsh said that the future Boeing top boss should first understand what went wrong to fix the organization’s problems. Many also feel that the next CEO must have a long-term vision for the company and should be interested to be in it for the long-haul.
With so much scrutiny from airlines, the media, and the general public and the mounting expectations to find a solution to Boeing’s current issues, the next CEO certainly has a mountain to climb.