Boeing Chief Executive David Calhoun sought to pivot from a bruising period of crisis and scandal on Wednesday, pledging a renewed commitment to safety and transparency and endorsing the long-term viability of the 737 MAX plane.
“I commit to you to be more accessible than the team has been,” Calhoun said at the outset of an hour-long conference call with reporters, the first such event with a Boeing executive since the MAX was grounded in March following two deadly crashes.
Calhoun vowed a “safety first” culture and promised investment in the firm’s engineers, who critics say have lost influence in the company’s zeal to boost its share price.
Without safety “there is no shareholder value, there is no profit-sharing,” Calhoun said a day after the company’s decision to push back the timeframe for the MAX’s return until at least midyear.
