Which CEO of Boeing was ousted in 2019 following two 737 MAX crashes?

Dennis Muilenburg was the Boeing CEO ousted in 2019 after the two fatal 737 MAX crashes and the ensuing worldwide grounding.

Muilenburg became Boeing’s president and CEO in 2015 after a long engineering and management career at the company. During his tenure, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed in March 2019; together, the accidents killed 346 people.

The crashes led to intense scrutiny of the 737 MAX’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, pilot training, regulatory oversight, and Boeing’s safety culture. Boeing’s board removed Muilenburg as chairman in October 2019 and dismissed him as CEO in December. David Calhoun became his successor in January 2020.

A frequent mix-up is identifying Calhoun as the ousted CEO: he was the executive who replaced Muilenburg. Ray Conner and Jim McNerney were earlier Boeing leaders. Muilenburg’s departure reflected broader criticism of Boeing’s management and the company’s handling of the MAX crisis, not simply a routine leadership transition.