Boeing’s Top Lobbyist Departs Amid Company Scrutiny

Boeing’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, announced the immediate departure of the company’s head of government affairs and top lobbyist, Ziad Ojakli, in an email to employees, as reported by David Shepardson for Reuters.

Ojakli's role will be filled by Bill McSherry, who currently oversees Boeing's state and local government operations, on an interim basis. I Photo: Ziad Ojakli X

Bill McSherry, who currently oversees Boeing's state and local government operations, will take over the role on an interim basis. Ojakli, who joined Boeing in September 2021 after leading government affairs for Ford Motor and SoftBank, could not be reached for comment.

Boeing’s government relationships remain critical, given its role as a major defense contractor for the Pentagon.

However, the company has faced mounting criticism from US lawmakers and scrutiny from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The investigations follow a January incident where a missing door plug caused a mid-air emergency on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet.

Ortberg, who assumed leadership in August, is navigating Boeing through these challenges as the company works to repair its reputation and maintain its pivotal connections with the US government.