Boeing’s space and defence chief exits in new CEO’s first executive move
Colbert’s departure is part of a management shake-up as Boeing bids to restore public confidence and repair its battered image
Boeing said on Friday the head of its troubled space and defence unit was leaving the company immediately, in the first management change under new CEO Kelly Ortberg.
Ortberg who took over in August said Ted Colbert would be leaving and Steve Parker, the unit’s chief operating officer, would assume Colbert’s responsibilities until a replacement is named later.
“At this critical juncture, our priority is to restore the trust of our customers and meet the high standards they expect of us to enable their critical missions around the world,” Ortberg wrote in an email to employees. “Working together we can and will improve our performance and ensure we deliver on our commitments.”
Boeing’s space business has suffered significant setbacks, notably Nasa’s recent decision to send Boeing’s Starliner capsule home without astronauts following years of missteps. Starliner has cost Boeing US$1.6 billion in overruns since 2016.
Colbert’s departure comes when Boeing has been trying to save cash by announcing furloughs of thousands of white-collar workers amid a strike by more than 32,000 of its workers.
Boeing has also faced significant woes after a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 in January suffered a mid-air emergency after it was missing four key bolts.
