Boeing names Steve Parker as permanent head of defense unit

Boeing (NYSE:BA) appointed Steve Parker as the new president and chief executive officer of its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) division, the company announced Tuesday. The move is effective immediately.

Parker had been serving as interim head of the division since September 2024, following leadership changes at the aerospace giant. In his expanded role, Parker will oversee Boeing’s global defense, government, space, and intelligence businesses and will report directly to Boeing President and Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg. He will also join Boeing’s executive council.

“Under Steve’s leadership, our defense business has stabilized its operations, improved program execution and strengthened relationships with our customers,” Ortberg said in a statement.

Since taking over as CEO in August, Ortberg has been shaking up Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) management. On Monday, the company said Chief Financial Officer Brian West will be replaced by aerospace veteran Jesus “Jay” Malave, who in April stepped down CFO of defense company Lockheed Martin (LMT).

Parker’s appointment comes as Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) BDS unit grapples with challenges, including a record $4.9 billion loss in 2024. The figure included a $900 million overrun on the T‑7 trainer and a $700 million hit related to the KC‑46 tanker program, which was worsened by disruptions such as labor strikes and manufacturing delays.

Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) Starliner spacecraft last year suffered technical failures that resulted in the stranding of two NASA astronauts on the International Space Station in June 2024. Their mission was originally planned to last eight days, but returned they returned nine months later on a craft made by SpaceX (SPACE). The episode raised questions about Boeing’s (BA) product quality.

Boeing (BA) in September removed Theodore “Ted” Colbert III as head of the BDS unit, and named Parker as interim CEO.

Parker has more than three decades of experience at Boeing (BA), having joined the company in 1988. Before stepping into the interim CEO role, he served as chief operating officer of BDS, where he oversaw manufacturing, quality, safety, supply chain operations and program management. His prior leadership roles included heading Boeing’s (BA) bombers & fighters and vertical lift divisions, as well as managing Boeing Defence Australia, the company’s largest international subsidiary.

The BDS division provides technology, products and services to defense and space customers worldwide. The company is the largest U.S. exporter and maintains a presence in more than 150 countries.