Boeing names special adviser to CEO amid 737 MAX crisis

Boeing on Wednesday named a new senior adviser to CEO Dennis Muilenburg and the board of directors as the world’s largest planemaker faces its biggest crisis in years after two deadly crashes of its 737 MAX. Crashes in Ethiopia in March and Indonesia in October have triggered the grounding of Boeing’s fastest-selling plane, lawsuits, investigations and lingering concerns over the 737 MAX’s safety. The company named Michael Luttig, who has served as general counsel since joining the company in 2006, to the newly created position of counselor and senior adviser to Muilenburg and the Boeing board of directors. Luttig, who is often listed among the highest paid general counsels of publicly traded companies, will anchor Boeing’s legal defense over the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. Boeing also said Brett Gerry, who has been president of Boeing Japan since 2016, is succeeding Luttig as general counsel. Both changes are effective immediately. The two executives are expected to play a central role in Boeing’s campaign to restore the trust of customers, passengers and regulators following the crashes.<br/>