This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
On December 23, 2019, Boeing's board of directors made the decision to fire CEO Dennis A. Muilenburg, whose handling of the company's 737 Max crisis had angered lawmakers, airlines, regulators, and victims' families.
According to two people briefed on the matter, the board made the decision on a call on Sunday, after a string of disastrous announcements for the company.
Boeing's chairman, Dave Calhoun, will replace Muilenburg on January 13, 2020. Until then, Boeing's chief financial officer, Greg Smith, will serve as interim CEO.
Boeing has been mired in the worst crisis in its 103-year history since the crashes of two 737 Max jets killed 346 people in 2019.
The plane has been grounded since March 2019, and Boeing has faced cascading delays as it tries to return the Max to the air.
Before the plane can fly again, the company and regulators must fix an automated system known as MCAS that was found to have played a role in both crashes, and ensure that the Max is certified safely and transparently.
