An aerospace industry veteran to try to turn around Boeing. Robert K. “Kelly” Ortberg will succeed Dave Calhoun on August 8, 2024, the planemaker announced as it released its second-quarter results.
The 64-year-old American brings with him 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry, including 34 years at Rockwell Collins, where he rose through the ranks to become CEO in 2013. He oversaw the company’s merger with UTC Aerospace Systems to form Collins Aerospace in 2018.
“Kelly has the skills and experience to lead Boeing into its next chapter,” said Steven Mollenkopf, chairman of the board, in a statement. “He is an experienced and highly respected leader in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and managing complex engineering and manufacturing businesses.”
He will have his work cut out for him, given how much damage Boeing’s industrial reputation has been done in recent years. And he is well aware of it. “I am committed to working with the company’s more than 170,000 dedicated employees to continue this tradition, putting safety and quality first. There is much work to be done and I look forward to getting started,” he said in the statement released by Boeing.
Poor results in the second quarter
Kelly Ortberg arrives at a time when Boeing is going through a very bad patch. The aircraft manufacturer announced on July 31 a loss of $1.4 billion (€1.29 billion) in the second quarter, mainly due to difficulties in its defense and space activities. It is still under the surveillance of the American air regulator, the FAA, which is capping its production of commercial aircraft. Boeing presented a roadmap in the spring to resolve the countless industrial problems it is facing. It also decided to acquire Spirit AeroSystems, one of its subcontractors implicated in the Alaska Airlines incident in January 2024.
Boeing delivered just 92 aircraft in the second quarter, a third fewer than in the second quarter of 2023, weighing on its accounts. It says it aims to assemble 38 737 MAXs per month by the end of 2024 and five 787s per month.
Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
