Another CEO candidate bows out

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Another leading outside candidate for Boeing’s top job — GE’s Jim Calhoun — has backed out of consideration, BusinessWeek reports. That makes it look, to me, more and more like Alan Mulally needs to start contacting Chicago real estate agents.

But Mulally should be careful what he wishes for, BusinessWeek reports.

Key quote: “The new CEO will have to change the culture at the top of Boeing, where political intrigue is said to be a pastime. ‘Do you really like the experience of having a knife in your back and a wall before you?’ says Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia. ‘With Boeing, you get the glory but enormous headaches. It makes GE look like running a dandelion farm.’”

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2005/nf2005054_6425_db035.htm