WionDrive News Desk 
Kelly Ortberg, the former CEO of Rockwell Collins, is reportedly a top candidate for the role of Boeing’s next chief executive, according to a Sunday report by The Air Current. Alongside Ortberg, other serious contenders for the position include Spirit AeroSystems CEO Pat Shanahan and Boeing Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Pope.
Reuters has also identified Shanahan, Pope, and Boeing board Chair Steve Mollenkopf as potential candidates for the CEO role. Earlier in July, Boeing announced a USD 4.7 billion stock deal to reacquire Spirit AeroSystems, its former subsidiary.
Ortberg, who retired in 2021 after serving as an adviser to the CEO of RTX, led Rockwell Collins and its successor entities through significant mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring over an eight-year period. Rockwell Collins, now part of RTX, is known for its aircraft communications, electronics, and aviation systems for both commercial and military markets.
Boeing has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment outside regular business hours. The company has been searching for a new CEO since Dave Calhoun announced in March that he would step down by the end of the year, following a major management shakeup triggered by a January incident involving a 737 MAX aircraft.
