• Brian West will become Boeing's new CFO on Aug. 27.
• Greg Smith, who was in the role for a decade, announced his retirement in April and steps down next month.
• West is tasked with guiding Boeing out of the pandemic crisis and a host of other challenges.

Boeing named Brian West, a former executive at General Electric's aviation arm, as its new CFO, after its current finance chief earlier this year announced his retirement.

West will be tasked with leading Boeing out of the coronavirus crisis, which drove the aircraft maker to a record loss in 2020.

He replaces Greg Smith, who is retiring this month after having been in the role since 2011. The company announced Smith's retirement in April.

West is the CFO of Refinitiv and was CFO of Nielsen. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is also a former GE executive and former CEO of Nielsen.

"I have had the pleasure of working with Brian previously, and he is an exceptional leader whose broad operational expertise and commitment to transparency with stakeholders will advance our efforts as we continue our focus on safety and quality, improving our performance and transforming our company for the future," Calhoun said in a news release.

West begins his new role on Aug. 27.

Earlier Wednesday, Boeing announced it elected Stayce Harris, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and former United Airlines pilot with three decades of experience, to its board of directors. Boeing said she will serve on its aerospace safety and audit committees.

"Boeing will benefit greatly from General Harris's deep experience in aviation and aerospace gained throughout her decades of service as a commercial airline pilot and her stellar military career," said David Calhoun.

She is the first Black woman to serve on Boeing's board.