Boeing named Brian West, a former executive at General Electric’s aviation arm, as its new CFO, after its flow finance chief recently reported his retirement.
West will be entrusted with leading Boeing out of the Covid emergency, which drove the airplane producer to a record misfortune in 2020.
He replaces Greg Smith, who is retiring this month in the wake of having been in the role since 2011. The organization declared Smith’s retirement in April.
West is the CFO of Refinitiv and was CFO of Nielsen. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is likewise a previous GE executive and former CEO of Nielsen.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Brian previously, and he is an exceptional leader whose broad operational expertise and commitment to transparency with stakeholders will advance our efforts as we continue our focus on safety and quality, improving our performance and transforming our company for the future,” Calhoun said in a news release.
West starts his new role on Aug. 27.
Prior Wednesday, Boeing reported it elected Stayce Harris, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and previous United Airlines pilot with three decades of experience, to its board of directors. Boeing said she will serve on its aerospace safety and audit committees.
“Boeing will benefit greatly from General Harris’s deep experience in aviation and aerospace gained throughout her decades of service as a commercial airline pilot and her stellar military career,” said David Calhoun.
She is the first Black woman to serve on Boeing’s board.