Boeing appoints company veteran Stephanie Pope to the newly created position of chief operating officer

Dec 11 (Reuters) – Boeing Co (BA.N) on Monday appointed company veteran Stephanie Pope to the newly created position of chief operating officer, making her likely one of the top contenders to take over as CEO David Calhoun when he decides to step down. . From the turn.

Bob currently heads the company’s aftermarket division, Boeing Global Services (BGS), the only segment to report profits during the first nine months of this year, as supply chain issues and cost overruns were a drag on the other two units – civil aircraft and defense . .

Calhoun, who led Boeing through one of its most turbulent phases in decades after overlapping safety and pandemic-related crises, is expected to remain in the top job for at least another year, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The planemaker in April 2021 extended the required retirement age to 70 from 65 for Calhoun, giving him time to guide the planemaker through the recovery process after a series of missteps.

Boeing said Pope would take over the position effective January 1 and that the heads of the commercial and defense aircraft makers would report to her. She added that her successor to lead BGS will be named at a later date.

“Stephanie brings tremendous operational, financial and customer experience to this role (Chief Operating Officer),” Calhoun said in a statement.

Bob, who joined Boeing in 1994, has been involved in all three of the company’s major businesses during these years.

She was CFO of Boeing’s commercial aircraft business and vice president of finance and controller for Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security segment in her previous roles.

She took over as president of BGS in April 2022. The company provides services such as engineering, maintenance, modifications, upgrades and conversions as well as spare parts to Boeing’s commercial and defense customers.

Pope will be the first woman to hold the position of CEO in Boeing’s history if she is appointed to this senior position.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing’s board of directors met in recent days to discuss the top executives who might eventually succeed Calhoun. The report added that the candidates also include CFO Brian West and Commercial Aircraft Company President Stan Deal.

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