Aircraft manufacturer Boeing (BA) has named company insider Stephanie Pope its new chief operating officer (COO).
The COO role is a newly created one and positions Pope as a contender to take over from chief executive officer (CEO) David Calhoun when he retires.
Pope currently heads the aftermarket business unit called “Boeing Global Services” (BGS), which was the only segment at the company to report a profit through nine months of 2023.
CEO Calhoun, who has guided Boeing through one of its most difficult periods after a safety crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, is expected to remain at the helm for at least another year.
Pope assumes the new COO job on Jan. 1, 2024. A successor to lead BGS will be named later, said the company.
Having joined Boeing in 1994, Pope has worked in all of the company's business units over the years and steadily risen through the ranks.
Also believed to be in the running to succeed Calhoun are Boeing chief financial officer (CFO) Brian West and the head of commercial airplanes Stan Deal, according to media reports.
Boeing’s stock has gained 25% this year to trade at $244.70 U.S. per share. The company is one of only two commercial aircraft manufacturers in the world along with Airbus SA (AIR) of France.
