Boeing sales chief McMullen to retire, Ryan Weir to succeed

Boeing jetliner sales chief Brad McMullen will retire in December, and Ryan Weir, who currently runs the planemaker's North American market, will take over one of the most visible jobs in commercial aviation, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. The handover comes as Boeing's order book recovers after years of crises, while the company still trails its European rival in an important segment of the narrowbody market.ca.marketscreener.com

A recovery-era salesman

McMullen is senior vice president of global sales and marketing. He led Boeing's commercial recovery after the 2024 mid-air door-plug blowout and was seen as influential in repairing strained relations with airlines, Reuters reported. He has also served as the company's voice on long-term market forecasts and on deals such as Japan Airlines' 2024 commitment for up to 20 more 787 Dreamliners.investors.boeing.com+1

"Brad has been at the forefront of our efforts to win in the market by developing deep and trusting relationships with our customers," Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope said in the memo, according to Reuters.ca.marketscreener.com

Weir's background

Before he ran North American sales, Weir was Boeing's sales chief for India and South Asia, and he later took charge of sales to global leasing companies, the memo said, per Reuters. His experience with leasing companies may help, since lessors are among the biggest buyers of single-aisle jets.ca.marketscreener.com

Orders rebound, gaps remain

Weir takes over a sales operation that has regained momentum. A string of deals timed with President Donald Trump's foreign visits helped Boeing beat Airbus in the 2025 order race, its first win in seven years and a sign of an early turnaround after back-to-back crises, Reuters reported.ca.marketscreener.com

Orders for the 787 widebody have surged. Boeing still lags Airbus in the busy market for long-range narrowbody jets such as the A321neo, a gap it hopes to close once regulators approve the 737 MAX 10, according to Reuters. Winning airline commitments for that aircraft is likely to be one of the first big tests for the new sales chief.ca.marketscreener.com