Boeing has appointed aerospace veteran Robert “Kelly” Ortberg as its new CEO. Ortberg previously led the integration of Rockwell Collins into United Technologies, which later merged with Raytheon to form RTX. His appointment comes at a challenging time for Boeing, which is grappling with significant operational issues.
Here are 10 key points about Robert “Kelly” Ortberg:
- The 64-year-old retired from RTX in 2021.
- Ortberg, an experienced aerospace engineer, is an outsider to Boeing.
- His appointment will be effective from August 8, as Boeing strives to recover from ongoing safety and quality control issues.
- Boeing’s second-quarter results revealed a $1.4 billion loss, a stark contrast to the $149 million loss in the same period last year.
- The company has faced substantial losses on several defense contracts due to supply chain disruptions, increased engineering costs, and technical problems.
- Boeing has been under intense scrutiny since a 737 MAX incident in January when an Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing after a fuselage panel blew out mid-flight.
- Outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun took over unexpectedly in January 2020 after Dennis Muilenburg was ousted following the MAX crashes.
- Calhoun had been expected to remain CEO until 2028, but the Alaska Airlines incident prompted outrage, leading to his announcement on March 25 that he would step down by the end of this year.
- Boeing chairman Steve Mollenkopf described Ortberg as “an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry.”
- Ortberg expressed his honor and humility in joining Boeing, stating, “There is much work to be done, and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
