- Leadership change to bring a positive wave for the aviation major
Arlington, Va, USA. 31 July 2024. The wait is finally over and Boeing has found the right person to be at it’s helm of affairs. In a significant leadership transition, Boeing’s Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Kelly Ortberg as the new President and Chief Executive Officer. With a distinguished career spanning over three decades in the aerospace industry, Ortberg brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of strategic leadership to the helm of one of the world’s leading aerospace companies. This appointment marks a pivotal moment for Boeing as the company navigates a dynamic and challenging global market, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and sustained growth. Ortberg’s vision and expertise are expected to drive Boeing forward, solidifying its position as an industry leader in aviation and aerospace technology.
Robert K. “Kelly” Ortberg has been chosen by the Boeing Board of Directors to serve as the firm’s new president and chief executive officer, starting on August 8, 2024, the company said today. Ortberg will join the Boeing Board of Directors as well. He’s going to succeed Dave Calhoun, a member of Boeing’s Board of Directors since 2009 and the company’s president and CEO since January 2020, declared earlier this year that he intended to retire.
Robert K. “Kelly” Ortberg has been chosen by the Boeing Board of Directors to serve as the firm’s new president and chief executive officer, starting on August 8, 2024, the company said today. “The Board conducted a thorough and extensive search process over the last several months to select the next CEO of Boeing and Kelly has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter,” said Steven Mollenkopf, Chair of the Board. “Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and running complex engineering and manufacturing companies. We look forward to working with him as he leads Boeing through this consequential period in its long history.”
“The Board would also like to thank Dave Calhoun for his strong leadership at Boeing, first as Chair and then as CEO, when he stepped in to steer the company through the challenges of recent years,” added Mollenkopf.
Ortberg, 64, has more than 35 years of aerospace leadership experience. He started his professional career in 1983 at Texas Instruments as an engineer. In 1987, he moved to Rockwell Collins as a program manager, and he held progressively more significant leadership roles there before taking on the roles of president and CEO in 2013. Following five years as Rockwell Collins’ leader, he oversaw the business’s integration with Raytheon Technologies and United Technologies until his retirement from RTX in 2021. He has occupied several prominent leadership positions in the sector, such as being a member of RTX’s board of directors. In addition, Aptiv PLC, a multinational technology business and a pioneer in vehicle systems architecture, has him on its board of directors. He served as the Board of Governors Chair for the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) in the past. Ortberg graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
“I’m extremely honored and humbled to join this iconic company,” said Ortberg. “Boeing has a tremendous and rich history as a leader and pioneer in our industry, and I’m committed to working together with the more than 170,000 dedicated employees of the company to continue that tradition, with safety and quality at the forefront. There is much work to be done, and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
This strategic appointment is set to usher in a new era of leadership for Boeing, fostering innovation and reinforcing the company’s commitment to excellence in the aerospace industry. With Ortberg at the helm, Boeing aims to navigate current challenges and seize emerging opportunities, driving growth and maintaining its position as a global leader in aviation.
