When did Dave Calhoun join Boeing? CEO to step down by the end of 2024 in the wake of safety crisis

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has decided to step down from his position as the management continues to struggle with production problems. The company released a statement on Monday, stating that Calhoun, who joined Boeing in 2009, will “lead Boeing through the year to complete the critical work underway.” This means that Calhoun will hold his position till the end of 2024.

Dave Calhoun will now be succeeded by Steve Mollenkopf, who has been a director at the company since 2020. Apart from Calhoun, the president of Boeing, Stan Deal is also retiring from his position at the company.

The departures are due to the changes at the company after the massive accident that took place on January 5, 2024, when a door plug blew out into an Alaska Airlines flight. Not just this, the company also came into the spotlight after two major crashes in 2018 and 2019, killing hundreds of people.

Calhoun addressed the same in an email to the employees, where he made it clear that leaving the organization was “100% his choice.”

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“The eyes of the world are on us”: Dave Calhoun addressed the news of his resignation

In an email to the employees at Boeing, Dave called the Alaska Airlines incident “a watershed moment for Boeing” and stated:

“As you all know, the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 accident was a watershed moment for Boeing. We must continue to respond to this accident with humility and complete transparency. We also must inculcate a total commitment to safety and quality at every level of our company. The eyes of the world are on us.”

He continued:

“I know we will come through this moment a better company, building on all the learnings we accumulated as we worked together to rebuild Boeing over the last number of years. We are going to fix what isn’t working, and we are going to get our company back on the track towards recovery and stability."

Dave Calhoun, the current President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, joined Boeing as a member of the Board of Directors in 2009 and then moved up the ladder to become the Board Chairman in 2019. He was ultimately promoted and made CEO of the company in January 2020.

As per Boeing’s official website, prior to being attached to Boeing, he was the senior managing director at The Blackstone Group and was also on the board of directors at Nielsen Holdings.

News of Calhoun's resignation left social media users divided. While many appreciated Boeing’s decision, others are siding with Calhoun and criticizing the step.

CNN reported that many employees have also come forward since the news of his resignation broke and called Dave Calhoun “the very best CEO that Airbus has ever had.”