Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun Steps Down Amid Executive Leadership Shake-Up

Updated: March 25, 2024, 10:02am CDT

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Boeing Executives Stepping Down
Final Thoughts

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If it’s Boeing, they’re going.

3 of Boeing’s top executives, including the beleaguered aircraft manufacturer’s president and CEO, Dave Calhoun, will leave their positions.

The news isn’t surprising as Boeing navigates through turbulent times due to several safety issues, including the mid-air blowout of a door on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 at the beginning of this year.

“The eyes of the world are on us, and I know that we will come through this moment a better company,” said Calhoun. “We will remain squarely focused on completing the work we have done together to return our company to stability after the extraordinary challenges of the past five years, with safety and quality at the forefront of everything that we do.”

Here’s what travelers should know about the major leadership shifts at Boeing.

Boeing Executives Stepping Down

Current president and CEO Dave Calhoun will leave his position at the end of 2024. He was appointed president and CEO in 2020 after 2 fatal Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 and will now leave just a few months after the Boeing 737 MAX 9 incident.

In addition, Larry Kellner, current board chair, will not be standing for re-election and will be replaced by Steve Mollenkopf, who will step in and oversee who will be handed the poisoned chalice as Boeing’s new president and CEO.

“Steve is the ideal next leader to take on the role of board chair, and it is important that the CEO selection process be led by a new chair who will stay at the helm as a partner to the new CEO,” said Kellner.

Boeing MAX family aircraft — Some of Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft. Image Credit: Boeing

And finally, current Boeing Commercial Planes president, Stan Deal, has announced his retirement from the company with immediate effect. His replacement, Stephanie Pope — former chief financial officer at Boeing Commercial Airplanes — will take over his role as of March 25, 2024.

Bottom Line:

The seatbelt signs will likely remain on for some time as the FBI continues its thorough investigation of the Alaska Airlines incident. Boeing’s alarming safety record over the last few years has caused passengers and airlines to lose trust in the manufacturer.

Final Thoughts

Times are changing at Boeing with the immediate departure of Stan Deal, now former Boeing Commercial Planes president, as well as CEO Dave Calhoun and board chair Larry Keller later in the year.

It will take nothing short of a miracle to restore faith in the aircraft manufacturer, so the pressure will be on to find someone up to the mammoth task.