Boeing has faced a series of mishaps this year, starting with a 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines experiencing a door panel detachment in January, resulting in a significant hole in the aircraft’s side.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated multiple investigations into US aerospace giant. Allegations from whistle-blowers suggest that the 737 Max, the 787 Dreamliner, and Boeing 777 faced significant production problems. During a particular inquiry, CEO Calhoun faced tough questioning from US senators on Tuesday regarding the company’s inconsistent safety performance.
Last month, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) also announced that it was contemplating legal action against Boeing for its role in the two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that resulted in the deaths of almost 350 people. The crashes were determined to be a result of a faulty pitch control system that Boeing had failed to disclose to pilots.
As a result, in an effort to control the PR damage and to restore the company’s reputation, Boeing had announced that its current chief executive, David Calhoun, would be stepping down by the end of the year as part of a broader management restructuring.
According to the latest reports, it appears to be a rather difficult task with numerous prominent candidates having declined offers to lead Boeing. This comes amid increased scrutiny of the company regarding safety concerns surrounding its products.
Larry Culp, the Chief Executive Officer of GE Aerospace, who was widely seen as the top choice for the position, has reportedly rejected Boeing’s offer to take over, and reconfirmed his commitment to continue serving at GE Aerospace.
Other prospective contenders, such as Stephanie Pope, the CEO of Boeing’s commercial-airplanes division, and Pat Shanahan, the CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, encounter different snags in their pursuit of the top position at the US plane maker. Also, David Gitlin, the CEO of Carrier and a member of the Boeing board, requested to be excluded from the list of potential candidates in April.
Despite of all the snags, Boeing executives are reportedly optimistic about reaching an agreement on new company’s leadership by the end of this month.
