Boeing has hired former President George W. Bush’s congressional arm-twister to take over its government operations office that oversees policy and lobbying in Washington.
Ziad S. Ojakli has recently served as vice president of Ford and then SoftBank and will have a similar vice presidential role with the jet-maker and government contractor.
He is affectionately known as “Z” in Washington, where he has been a welcome fixture for years.
Ojakli succeeds Marc Allen, Boeing’s chief strategy officer, who has served as interim executive vice president of government operations since June. He will head lobbying, global engagement, and the company’s global philanthropic organization.
His hiring comes as the aircraft giant is working through several controversies.
In a release, Boeing President David Calhoun said, “Ziad is a proven executive with an impressive track record of leading public policy and government relations operations for global companies. 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.”
Ojakli isn’t just known for being a major player in Washington’s circus. He’s the chairman of the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and is a board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
