Boeing 737 MAX crisis: Board strips CEO of chairman title

Boeing Co’s board has stripped chief executive Dennis Muilenburg of his chairmanship title, in an unexpected strategy shift announced by the US planemaker on Friday only hours after a global aviation panel criticised development of the troubled 737 MAX.

Separating the roles, which will enable Muilenburg to have ”maximum focus” on steering daily operations, was the latest step the board has taken in recent weeks to improve executive oversight of its engineering ranks and industrial operations.

Lead Director David Calhoun, a senior managing director at Blackstone Group, will takeover as non-executive chairman, Boeing said in its announcement, which came late on Friday afternoon without warning. It added that the board had “full confidence” in Muilenburg, who will retain the top job and remain on the board.