Boeing announced on September 16, 2021, that Ziad Ojakli will be its new executive vice president of government operations.
In this new role, which will be effective October 1, 2021, Ojakli will report to Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun and will serve on the company’s Executive Council. Ojakli succeeds Marc Allen, Boeing’s chief strategy officer, who has served as interim executive vice president of government operations since June 2021.
In this role as head of Boeing’s government operations, Ojakli will lead Boeing’s public policy efforts, serve as chief lobbyist for the global enterprise, and oversee the company’s global philanthropic organization, Boeing Global Engagement.
“Ziad is a proven executive with an impressive track record of leading public policy and government relations operations for global companies,” said Calhoun in Boeing’s press statement on September 16, 2021. “His broad experience serving in executive roles in government and the private sector will contribute to our engagement with our stakeholders as we continue our focus on safety, quality and transparency, and transforming our company for the future.”
Most recently, Ojakli served as the managing partner and senior vice president of Softbank, a Japanese multinational holding company, where he created and led the company’s first global government affairs operation. Prior to joining Softbank, Ojakli spent 14 years at Ford Motor Company as group vice president.
Ojakli had also served in the White House as Principal Deputy for Legislative Affairs for President George W. Bush from 2001-2004. Earlier, he was the chief of staff and policy director for U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell and he began his career in the office of U.S. Senator Dan Coats.
Ojakli, who holds a bachelor’s degree in American Government from Georgetown University, currently serves as chairman of the board of the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. and he is a board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.