Boeing Chief Lobbyist Ziad Ojakli Leaves Troubled Planemaker: Report

Boeing Co‘s BA head of government affairs and chief lobbyist Ziad Ojakli is reportedly leaving the planemaker.

What Happened: Ojakli will be replaced by executive Bill McSherrry on an interim basis, Reuters reported on Friday, citing a mail sent by Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg to employees. Ojakli’s departure is effective immediately, the email said.

Ojakli became executive vice president of Government Operations at Boeing in October 2021. Prior to that, he worked with Ford and Softbank and also served as an aide to President George W. Bush.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a Benzinga request for a statement.

Why It Matters: Boeing has been under keen public and regulatory scrutiny since the start of the year when a door plug flew off an Alaska Airlines plane.

The company’s shares have fallen by about 39% year-to-date and several key executives have left.

In November, the company said that its head of quality for commercial airplanes Elizabeth Lund would retire from the company in December. In September, the head of the company’s space and defense unit Ted Colbert left the company.

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