Boeing has named Robert “Kelly” Ortberg to replace CEO Dave Calhoun, picking a longtime aerospace veteran from outside the company as the manufacturer struggles to regain its footing from its safety and manufacturing crises. He will start Aug. 8. Ortberg, 64, previously led major aerospace supplier Rockwell Collins, which later became Collins Aerospace, leading major acquisitions, including one early in his tenure. The business is now part of industry behemoth RTX. He retired in 2021, though he was most recently on RTX’s board and resigned on Wednesday. The appointment of the more-than-three-decade aerospace veteran shows Boeing is seeking a steady hand that knows the industry — but also a company outsider. Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu said in a July 29 note that at Collins, Ortberg was a “tough negotiator dealing with a diverse set of customers and suppliers and managing the complexity of its diverse customer base,” including Boeing. Ortberg, who has a mechanical…
