Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said the decision to resign was his own|Narendra Modi|CC BY 3.0
Boeing CEO since 2020, Dave Calhoun, announced his resignation yesterday, signaling big changes in the aircraft giant since the January Alaska Airlines door plug blowout incident and subsequent quality issues found in its 737 MAX planes.
In his note to employees on Monday, Calhoun called the door plug accident “a watershed moment for Boeing.” He will step down by the end of this year.
His move was followed by a slew of top executives and board members stepping down. Current board chairman Larry Kellner will not seek reelection in May and will be presided over by former CEO of Qualcomm, Steve Mollenkopf.
Stan Deal, president of Boeing’s commercial airplane unit, has left the company, with Stephanie Pope assuming his role.
Several airlines’ CEOs have welcomed the management changes, signaling hope for improvement in Boeing’s operations and manufacturing quality.
Boeing still faces scrutiny from the FAA and a criminal probe by the DOJ, leading to production delays and customer complaints. The manufacturer could lose up to $4.5 billion this quarter.