Mulally is a good choice for United for a couple of reasons: Like Gordon, he is ex-Boeing exec who lives and breathes aviation.
More importantly, Mulally at both Boeing and Ford re-engineered two large organizations to focus on the needs of the customer as opposed to accepting a group think mentality that posited internal stakeholders know best about what the customer wants.
At Boeing, he delivered the 777 and ditched the Sonic Cruiser for the 7E7 that became the 787. The 787 of course is the fastest selling airliner in history -- and despite a lot of challenges -- is a pretty awesome piece of plastic. One UA pilot told me, "this thing prints money for UA."
On to Ford, he ditched large cars and trucks well ahead of the financial crisis to retool plants to build smaller cars like the Fiesta. GM and Chrysler were still thinking large car and truck into 2009 whereas Ford had already significantly changed course.
If Boeing had not gone after the 787 market they would have faded away in the commercial airliner business. At Ford they would have followed GM and Chrysler into BK but instead were able to survive the GFC without BK and service the UAW pension and medical plans. Mulally gets a lot of credit for both strategies.
While St. Alan (as the SEA press has dubbed him for the outsourcing debacle that was the 787 program) has his detractors, he understands customers. In his organizations, he seems a step ahead of demand and demonstrates a passion for what his customers need and want. Under his leadership, BCA and Ford were success stories.
The UA BOD would be foolish not to offer him a job if he wanted it. I am sure that SMI/J could line up a teaching position at Yale law if he wanted.....
Last edited by B787938; Apr 24, 2014 at 8:15 pm