Boeing’s largest union says it will strike if contract negotiations fail
Washington PostJul 18
Boeing Names New CEO Amid Posting $1.4B in Losses
Above: The Boeing office building is shown May 6, 2022 in the Crystal City section of Arlington, Virginia. Image copyright: Win McNamee/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Boeing Wednesday named a new chief executive, looking to turn the page on a chapter mired in safety and regulatory issues that the company said led to losses of over $1.4B in the second quarter of 2024.
Robert "Kelly" Ortberg, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at aerospace manufacturer Rockwell Collins, will replace David Calhoun as CEO and president effective Aug. 8.
The Spin
Narrative A
In this extremely difficult period, Boeing couldn't have done better than naming Ortberg as the next CEO. A mechanical engineer who built one of the aviation industry's most respected suppliers, his reputation is excellent and he has all the skills necessary to turn the company around.
Narrative B
While Ortberg has a good résumé, it's not clear that one man can turn all of Boeing's problems around. There are serious problems with the company — there's no guarantee that with a mere change at the top, the firm will be able to recover from all the mistakes it has made in the past few years.