Boeing Chief Dave Calhoun Resigns Amid Ongoing Safety Probes

Boeing's chief executive officer, Dave Calhoun, will leave the company at the end of this year. His departure was announced abruptly on Monday, March 25, as part of the firm's leadership overhaul.

Boeing said it will revamp its leadership amid ongoing issues centered on safety probes. It was confirmed that Calhoun's exit will be included in the extensive changes in management.

Mounting Safety Crisis

The New York Times reported that Boeing was put under pressure from airlines, regulators, and passengers after the Alaskan Airlines incident in January, in which a large panel blew off mid-air. The plane involved was a 737 Max 9 plane, which led to the suspension of flights while the units of this plane model were being checked.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded 737 Max 9 planes across the United States following the incident, which also renewed concerns over the safety and quality of Boeing planes after they were involved in several recent crashes that took many people's lives.

It was reported that a recent review by the aviation regulator found several lapses in the company's Max production. The FAA gave Boeing 90 days to fix the issues, and the Department of Justice also informed Alaska Airlines passengers that they could be victims of a crime.

Leadership Shuffle at Boeing

Boeing's board members arranged a conference call last weekend and approved the leadership overhaul announced on Monday. In addition to CEO Dave Calhoun, Stanley A. Deal, the company's executive vice president and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, is also stepping down.

According to CNN Business, Deal is vacating his post to retire. The plane maker appointed Stephanie Pope, currently serving as a chief operating officer, as his replacement, and she is taking over immediately. Lastly, it was also mentioned that Larry Kellner, Boeing's chairman, will not seek re-election as a board director, and members have elected former Qualcomm chief Steve Mollenkopf as his successor.

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