Boeing names special adviser to CEO amid 737 MAX crisis
By Eric M. Johnson
SEATTLE, May 1 (Reuters) - Boeing Co on Wednesday named a new senior adviser to Chief Executive Officer 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 jetliner.
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 to the newly created position of counselor and senior adviser to Muilenburg and the Boeing board of directors. It 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.
Muilenburg survived calls to break up his three-pronged job as chairman, president and CEO at an annual shareholders' meeting on Monday.
(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle Editing by Matthew Lewis)
