Brian Besanceney, Boeing Head of Communications, will leave his post on October 1. Ann Schmidt, the current VP of Corporate Communications, will hold the reins in the interim until a permanent replacement is found.
Effective October 1, Besanceney’s exit signifies an ongoing leadership shuffle within Boeing. He will notably succeed Ed Dandridge in his role. Besanceney has committed to facilitating a smooth transition.
The leadership shifts also accompany Robert Ortberg‘s appointment as Boeing’s new CEO. Ortberg, ex-CEO of supplier firm Rockwell Collins, is expected to work in close partnership with a new Chief Communications Officer in the near future.
Boeing recently faced severe safety concerns, primarily linked to its 737 Max model.
Boeing leadership changes amid safety scrutiny
This followed an incident on an Alaska Airlines flight, leading to broader issues and prompting the FAA to halt the model’s production until they are fully addressed. Subsequently, all Boeing 737 Max models have been grounded for in-depth testing and examination, reinforcing safety over speed or efficiency.
The company’s commitment to addressing safety issues and regaining trust among airlines and passengers comes under international scrutiny after fatal crashes involving its 737 Max planes in 2018 and 2019. They admitted to design errors in the aircraft’s software, which resulted in considerable reputation damage and hefty fines.
Additionally, Boeing endured significant financial strain due to lost sales and halted production. Furthermore, the company faces the threat of a potential strike from around 36,000 hourly wage earners from its commercial airplane manufacturing departments in Washington State.
The last recorded profitable year was 2019. Despite a reported net loss of $1.4 billion and earnings of $16.9 billion in Q2, Boeing continues to encounter financial difficulties. To regain trust, Boeing pledges to implement rigorous safety protocols and upgrades going forward.
