The disappointing results come at a tumultuous time for Boeing. The company agreed to plead guilty this month to a federal fraud charge in connection with its 737 Max jetliner and two crashes that killed 346 people.
Boeing named an aerospace industry veteran with a background in mechanical engineering as its next chief executive Wednesday, looking to open a new chapter at a company rocked by legal, regulatory and production problems and mounting financial repercussions.
Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, a former CEO at aerospace manufacturer Rockwell Collins, will succeed David Calhoun as CEO and president effective Aug. 8, the company said. Calhoun said in March that he would retire at the end of the year, and analysts generally praised the quicker transition.
“There is much work to be done, and I’m looking forward to getting started,” Ortberg said in a statement issued by Boeing.
Boeing announced its new CEO as it reported a loss of more than $1.4 billion on falling revenue during the second quarter. The loss was wider and the company’s revenue lower than Wall Street’s dismal expectations, as both Boeing’s commercial-airplanes business and defense unit lost money.
The disappointing results came at a tumultuous time for Boeing, which is the subject of multiple investigations into its safety culture and manufacturing quality.
The American aerospace giant agreed to plead guilty this month to a federal fraud charge in connection with its 737 Max jetliner and two crashes that killed 346 people. The Federal Aviation Administration increased its oversight of the company and limited the number of planes it could produce after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines Max flying at an altitude of 16,000 feet. No one was seriously hurt, but the frightening incident and subsequent scrutiny have damaged Boeing’s reputation.
Boeing Chairman Steven Mollenkopf said Ortberg was chosen after a “thorough and extensive search process” and “has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter.” Ortberg has earned a reputation for running complex engineering and manufacturing companies, Mollenkopf said.
Calhoun, who said he wasn’t involved in the hiring decision, is expected to serve as a special adviser to Boeing’s board of directors until next March. He suggested that Ortberg would support Boeing’s current executives instead of bringing in his own team.
