Boeing Announces Key Executive Changes Amid Ongoing Challenges

Boeing has announced a series of key executive appointments and leadership changes, as part of its efforts to strengthen operations and navigate challenges within the company. Ann Schmidt has been appointed the new Chief Communications and Brand Officer. Schmidt, who has been serving as the interim head of communications since Brian Besanceney retired on Oct. 1, will now take on a permanent role overseeing communications and brand strategy. 

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg made the announcement in a memo to employees, recognizing Schmidt’s vital contributions in leading Boeing’s communication efforts during a challenging time for the company. Along with Schmidt’s appointment, several other key leadership transitions have taken place at Boeing. 

Susan Doniz, the company’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), has left the company. Dennis Eng, who has been with Boeing for several years, will serve as the interim CIO while the company searches for a permanent replacement. In September, Ted Colbert, who led Boeing’s Defense, Space, and Security (BDS) division, also left the company. Steve Parker, the division's Chief Operating Officer (COO), has been named to temporarily lead BDS while Boeing looks for a new permanent head for the division.

Earlier this month, Boeing also saw the departure of Ziad “Z” Ojakli, the company’s chief lobbyist. Boeing is also experiencing changes within its quality department. Elizabeth Lund, the head of quality for commercial airplanes, will retire this month. Lund had been appointed Senior Vice President of Quality for Commercial Airplanes in February following the Jan. 5 mid-air panel blowout of a 737 MAX 9 aircraft with Alaska Airlines. Doug Ackerman, who has previously served as Vice President of Supply Chain and Fabrication Quality and has been closely involved in Boeing’s quality improvement initiatives, will succeed Lund as Senior Vice President of Quality for Commercial Airplanes.

The leadership changes come at a time when Boeing has been addressing several crises over the past five years, which have significantly impacted its reputation and operations. These challenges, as previously shared in Mexico Business News, include two fatal crashes involving the 737 MAX, safety and quality lapses, ongoing criminal investigations, financial losses, and a seven-week-long strike that disrupted operations. 

In October, Kelly Ortberg, who took over as CEO in August, acknowledged that Boeing has lost its iconic status in the aerospace industry. He stated that the company needs a "fundamental culture change" to recover and strengthen its position. Ortberg made these remarks during a meeting with investment analysts, emphasizing the need for deep organizational and cultural reforms to restore Boeing’s standing in the market.