Robert “Kelly” Ortberg was appointed president and CEO of Boeing (NYSE: BA), effective Aug. 8.
The industry veteran will bring more than 35 years of aerospace experience and succeed Dave Calhoun, who is retiring from the company, Boeing said Tuesday.
Ortberg, who was chairman, president and CEO of the former Rockwell Collins company, was key in its integration with United Technologies Corp. and RTX (NYSE: RTX). He then served as the chief executive of Collins Aerospace before retiring from RTX in 2021.
He has also held a number of industry leadership roles including serving on the boards of directors of RTX and Aptiv.
The aerospace leader was chosen by Boeing’s board of directors after a thorough and extensive search process.
Commenting on Ortberg’s selection to lead Boeing in its next chapter, Steven Mollenkopf, chair of the company’s board, said, “Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and running complex engineering and manufacturing companies.”
Aside from serving as Boeing president and CEO, Ortberg will also join the company’s board.
Mollenkopf, in another remark, thanked Calhoun for his strong company leadership over the past years.
In March, Calhoun announced his decision to step down from his roles at the end of 2024 as part of a series of leadership changes at Boeing.
