David Calhoun, formerly chairman of Boeing (NYSE: BA), took over as president and CEO of the aerospace and defense company Monday, Jan. 13.
“Working together, we will strengthen our safety culture, improve transparency and rebuild trust with our customers, regulators, suppliers and the flying public,” Calhoun said in a statement published Monday.
He also outlined his priorities for 2020 in an email to employees. These include returning the 737 Max aircraft to service, focusing on values, operating with excellence, maintaining production health and investing in new technologies, processes and global workforce.
Calhoun was selected in December to assume the president and CEO roles at Boeing. Greg Smith served as acting CEO during the transition and will now return to the role of chief financial officer and executive vice president of enterprise performance and strategy.
"With deep industry experience and a proven track record of performance, Dave is the right leader to navigate Boeing through this challenging time in our 104-year legacy," said Lawrence Kellner, chairman of Boeing’s board. "We're confident Dave will take Boeing forward with intense focus on our values, including safety, quality and integrity."
Calhoun has served on Boeing’s board since 2009 and prior to that, has held senior leadership positions at General Electric (NYSE: GE), Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) and Nielsen Holdings (NYSE: NLSN).
