Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg has resigned and will be
replaced by board chair David Calhoun on Jan. 13, the company announced.
The board said Muilenburg's resignation, effective
immediately, "was necessary to restore confidence in the company moving
forward as it works to repair relationship with regulators, customers and all
other stakeholders." Muilenburg had served as CEO since July 2015 but faced
intense scrutiny this year over the handling of the Boeing 737 Max, which
remains grounded following two fatal crashes.
Calhoun, who became Boeing's chair in October, also is the
global head of private equity at Blackstone and previously served as CEO of
both GE Infrastructure and Nielsen. Boeing CFO Greg Smith will serve as interim
CEO over the next few weeks as Calhoun "exits his non-Boeing
commitments," according to the company. In a statement, Calhoun said he
"strongly [believes] in the future of Boeing and the 737 Max."
The board also named Boeing board member and former
Continental Airlines CEO Larry Kellner as the board's non-executive chairman.