Former defence minister of Australia Brendan Nelson is to be Boeing International's new president, the aerospace giant announced over the weekend, with incumbent Sir Michael Arthur to retire early in the new year.
Nelson joined the company in 2014 and has been Boeing Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific president since February 2020. Boeing president and chief executive Dave Calhoun said Nelson would being "vast experience in government and diplomacy, industry and non-profit associations" when he replaces Arthur, who Calhoun lauded in turn for his "tremendous contributions" and "tireless" service to customers and staff.
As defence minister of Australia, Nelson oversaw military deployments to Afghanistan, East Timor, Iraq and the Solomon Islands. Nelson later was Australia's ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
Nelson is to be succeeded in his current job by Maria Fernandez, who has held "senior positions" in several Australian government departments and runs a consultancy giving "strategic advisory and assurance services" to departments, according to a Boeing statement.
The appointments came in the wake of Boeing last week making several appointments to its Brussels-based management team.