ALBAWABA – In a statement to employees shared to the media, Boeing's CEO and president Dave Calhoun has announced his plans to depart from the firm by the end of the year, alongside the board chairman and the head of the commercial airplane, as the company deals with safety crisis.
Over the course of five years, Boeing has experienced numerous technical issues with its aircrafts, including a couple of deadly 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that claimed 346 lives. Followed by a door latch that took off the side of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max in latest January, leaving a large hole in the side of the aircraft. The flaws, according to CNN, have resulted in several safety-related grounded operations and damages totaling over $31 billion.
The statement additionally notes that Larry Kellner, chairman of Boeing, will not be running for board director again. Steve Mollenkopf, the previous CEO of Qualcomm, has been chosen by the board to replace him. As of right now, Stephanie Pope, who has been Boeing's COO since January, will succeed Stan Deal, who is retiring, as CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Early in 2020, Calhoun accepted the position of CEO after the dismissal of Dennis Muilenburg following one of the worst scandals in the company's history, as BBC reports. Declaring a commitment to fortify Boeing's "safety culture" and "rebuild trust."
Calhoun commented on the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 accident saying it “was a watershed moment for Boeing,” adding to his employees “The eyes of the world are on us, and I know we will come through this moment a better company,” while stressing that Boing is “going to fix what isn’t working,” while he and his team “are going to get our company back on the track towards recovery and stability.”
