Boeing Lobbyist Departure

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Boeing (NYSE:BA)'s head of government affairs and top lobbyist is leaving effective immediately, as announced by the planemaker's CEO in an email to employees on Friday.

Ziad Ojakli, who became head of Boeing's government operations in September 2021 and previously led government affairs for Ford Motor (NYSE:F) and Softbank (OTC:SFTBY), is stepping down. Bill McSherry, who manages the company's state and local government operations, will serve as interim head.

Boeing has experienced a challenging year, notably after an incident in January where a door plug missing four key bolts blew off a new Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets at 16,000 feet.