Dennis Muilenburg and Larry Culp are connected primarily through the business relationship between Boeing and General Electric’s aviation operations, not through a documented personal partnership. Their leadership tenures overlapped from October 2018 until December 2019, when Muilenburg was Boeing’s CEO and Culp was chairman and CEO of General Electric, whose aviation business supplied critical engines for major Boeing aircraft programs.
The strongest links between the two executives involve the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X programs. GE, through its CFM International joint venture with Safran, supplies the LEAP-1B engine used exclusively on the 737 MAX, while the GE9X was developed specifically for Boeing’s 777X.
Were Dennis Muilenburg and Larry Culp directly connected?
There is no well-supported public evidence that Dennis Muilenburg and Larry Culp were coworkers, business partners, relatives, or members of a shared private venture.
Their connection was institutional. Muilenburg led Boeing while Culp led GE, and Boeing was one of the most important aircraft-manufacturer customers and partners for GE’s aviation operations. That put the two executives at the top of companies whose commercial aerospace businesses were closely dependent on one another.
An important distinction is that Culp did not personally run GE Aviation during most of the period when Muilenburg was Boeing CEO. David Joyce was president and CEO of GE Aviation at the time and remained in that position until 2020. Culp led the GE parent company and therefore had overall responsibility for the aviation unit as part of the larger corporation.
Culp only assumed the additional CEO role at GE Aviation in June 2022, more than two years after Muilenburg left Boeing.
Who is Dennis Muilenburg?
Dennis A. Muilenburg spent more than three decades at Boeing, beginning his career there in 1985. He became Boeing president in December 2013, CEO in July 2015 and chairman in March 2016.
His background was heavily rooted in engineering and aerospace programs. Before reaching Boeing’s top position, Muilenburg led Boeing Defense, Space & Security and held management or engineering responsibilities involving programs such as the F-22, Airborne Laser and Future Combat Systems.
His tenure as CEO ultimately became inseparable from the Boeing 737 MAX crisis.
Lion Air Flight 610 crashed in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed in March 2019. The two accidents involving 737 MAX aircraft killed 346 people. A subsequent investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure identified serious failures involving Boeing and deficiencies in FAA oversight.
Boeing separated the chairman and CEO positions in October 2019, leaving Muilenburg as president and CEO while David Calhoun became non-executive chairman.
On December 23, 2019, Boeing announced that Muilenburg had resigned as CEO and as a director. Boeing said its board concluded that leadership change was necessary as the company attempted to restore confidence and repair relationships with regulators, customers and other stakeholders.
What is Dennis Muilenburg doing now?
Muilenburg subsequently moved into private investment, aerospace technology and advisory work.
As of 2026, New Vista Capital’s current team page lists him as Co-Founder, Chairman & Senior Partner. New Vista focuses on technologies involving national security, commercial aerospace and defense.
He also remains active elsewhere in advanced aerospace and manufacturing. Otto Aerospace, for example, lists Muilenburg as chairman of its board.
These roles represent a different stage of his career from running a major public aircraft manufacturer. His work now centers more heavily on investment, emerging technologies, strategic advice and aerospace industrial development.
Who is Larry Culp?
H. Lawrence “Larry” Culp Jr. built much of his reputation outside traditional aerospace.
Before GE, he spent 25 years at Danaher Corporation and served as its president and CEO from 2001 until 2014. He joined GE’s board in April 2018 and became CEO of General Electric in October 2018.
That October 2018 appointment created the main period in which dennis muilenburg and larry culp simultaneously led companies with a major commercial relationship.
Culp later oversaw the restructuring of General Electric into independent businesses. GE HealthCare was separated first, followed by GE Vernova, leaving GE Aerospace as the remaining GE public company in April 2024. Culp became chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace when the standalone company launched.
As of September 2026, he remains chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace. The company’s board previously extended his employment agreement through December 31, 2027, with a possible extension through 2028 by mutual agreement.
The Boeing and GE relationship that connected them
The connection between Muilenburg and Culp becomes clearer when looking at two aircraft programs: the 737 MAX and Boeing 777X.
| Program | Boeing role | GE-related role | Importance during overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 737 MAX | Boeing designed and manufactured the aircraft | CFM International’s LEAP-1B is the exclusive engine | MAX grounding had significant financial and production effects on GE |
| 777X | Boeing developed the next-generation 777 family | GE developed the GE9X specifically for the 777X | Engine challenges contributed to a 2019 schedule delay |
These were not peripheral programs. They linked the companies operationally, financially and strategically during the period when Muilenburg ran Boeing and Culp ran GE.
The 737 MAX created the biggest financial overlap
The 737 MAX illustrates how events at Boeing could directly affect GE under Culp.
CFM International is a joint venture between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines. Its LEAP-1B engine is the exclusive powerplant for the 737 MAX.
When regulators grounded the 737 MAX globally in March 2019, Boeing reduced production. CFM subsequently adjusted LEAP-1B production to match Boeing’s revised aircraft build rate.
GE’s 2019 annual report quantified the effect. The company reported that the MAX grounding reduced GE cash flow from operating activities by approximately $1.4 billion during 2019. GE also disclosed approximately $2.5 billion in net assets associated with the MAX program at the end of that year.
That shows why Boeing’s crisis mattered directly to Culp even though the flight-control issues investigated after the crashes were Boeing aircraft issues rather than problems attributed to the LEAP-1B engine.
The distinction is important. GE was economically exposed to the MAX because it supplied engines, held aviation assets and had commercial relationships tied to Boeing production. That does not mean GE or Culp was responsible for the aircraft’s MCAS design or Boeing’s certification decisions.
How Larry Culp responded to the MAX disruption
GE’s public financial disclosures during Culp’s tenure emphasized cooperation with Boeing and aviation regulators rather than attempting to predict when regulators would clear the aircraft.
GE’s second-quarter 2019 filing estimated that if the MAX remained grounded, the company could experience roughly $400 million in negative cash-flow impact per quarter during the second half of the year.
By the full-year report, the estimated 2019 effect had reached approximately $1.4 billion.
GE continued producing engines while adjusting its plans as Boeing changed aircraft-production assumptions.
This illustrates the practical connection between the two executives. Decisions and developments at Muilenburg’s Boeing had immediate consequences for the company Culp was trying to stabilize and restructure.
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The GE9X and Boeing 777X connection
The second major link involved the Boeing 777X.
GE’s GE9X was designed specifically for the 777X family, and Boeing continues to identify GE Aerospace’s GE9X as the engine for both the 777-8 and 777-9.
In November 2018, Boeing said the first 777X flight was scheduled for 2019 and highlighted the GE9X as a central technology behind the aircraft’s efficiency.
The timetable changed in 2019.
In its July 24, 2019 second-quarter results, Boeing said engine challenges had delayed the 777X’s first flight until early 2020 and created significant risk for its planned delivery schedule. Muilenburg was Boeing’s chairman, president and CEO at the time, while Culp was GE’s chairman and CEO.
The aircraft eventually completed its first flight on January 25, 2020, powered by GE9X engines. By then Muilenburg had already left Boeing.
The GE9X received FAA engine certification later in September 2020.
Their overlapping leadership timeline
The relatively short period from late 2018 through 2019 explains most searches connecting the two men.
October 2018
Larry Culp became CEO of General Electric. Dennis Muilenburg was already Boeing chairman, president and CEO.
March 2019
The 737 MAX fleet was grounded following the second fatal MAX crash. Because the CFM LEAP-1B exclusively powered the aircraft, the grounding began affecting GE’s aviation production and cash flow.
July 2019
Boeing disclosed that engine challenges were delaying the 777X’s first flight into 2020. The aircraft relied on GE’s GE9X engine.
October 2019
Boeing removed Muilenburg’s chairman title while retaining him as president and CEO, saying the separation would allow him to focus on returning the MAX safely to service.
December 2019
Muilenburg resigned as Boeing CEO and director. His departure ended the period in which he and Culp simultaneously led Boeing and GE.
June 2022
Culp took direct responsibility as CEO of GE Aviation in addition to his position leading GE. This happened well after Muilenburg’s Boeing departure.
April 2024
GE Aerospace became a standalone public company with Culp as chairman and CEO.
Did Dennis Muilenburg ever work for GE?
No reliable corporate record indicates that Dennis Muilenburg worked for General Electric or GE Aerospace.
His career was overwhelmingly associated with Boeing, where he started in 1985 and remained until 2019.
This is worth clarifying because Boeing has historically employed several senior executives with GE backgrounds. David Calhoun, who succeeded Muilenburg as Boeing CEO in 2020, was a former senior GE executive. That history can make searches involving GE leaders and Boeing executives confusing, but Muilenburg himself was a Boeing career executive rather than a former GE executive.
Did Larry Culp work for Boeing?
There is likewise no evidence that Culp was a Boeing employee.
His major executive career before GE was at Danaher. He later became GE CEO and eventually chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace.
His relationship with Boeing is therefore primarily that of a senior leader at one of Boeing’s most important propulsion suppliers and industrial partners.
Where the relationship stands in 2026
Muilenburg and Culp now occupy very different positions.
Muilenburg is active in private aerospace and defense investment through New Vista Capital, where the firm’s current team page identifies him as co-founder, chairman and senior partner.
Culp remains chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace, which has become a standalone aerospace propulsion and systems company.
The Boeing-GE relationship that linked their careers remains highly significant. Boeing’s 777X continues to use the GE9X, while the 737 MAX continues to use the CFM LEAP-1B.
The 777X story is still developing. Boeing said in September 2026 that the 777-9 remained in certification work and that the company was targeting first delivery in 2027.
GE Aerospace has also continued working with Boeing and the FAA on the GE9X program. In an April 2026 earnings call, Culp discussed work on a GE9X mid-seal durability issue and said GE was coordinating with Boeing and the FAA while the 777X certification program continued.
That modern context reinforces the central point: the meaningful link between Dennis Muilenburg and Larry Culp is the long-running Boeing-GE aerospace relationship, particularly their companies’ interdependence on major aircraft and engine programs.
FAQ
Are Dennis Muilenburg and Larry Culp business partners?
There is no credible public evidence that they are or were personal business partners. Their documented connection comes mainly from leading Boeing and GE during an overlapping period when the companies had major supplier and customer relationships.
Did Dennis Muilenburg and Larry Culp work together on the 737 MAX?
They led companies connected to the program, but describing them as a two-person team would be misleading. Boeing manufactured the MAX under Muilenburg, while CFM International, the GE and Safran joint venture, supplied its LEAP-1B engines. GE Aviation itself was led by David Joyce during 2019.
What connects Larry Culp to Boeing?
GE Aerospace and its joint ventures supply propulsion systems for several Boeing aircraft. Important examples include the LEAP-1B on the 737 MAX, the GEnx on many 787 aircraft and the GE9X on the 777X. GE Aerospace’s reporting identifies Boeing platforms as a major part of its commercial engine portfolio.
Was Larry Culp GE Aviation CEO while Dennis Muilenburg ran Boeing?
No. Culp was chairman and CEO of General Electric beginning in October 2018, but David Joyce was president and CEO of GE Aviation during the Muilenburg overlap. Culp did not take the additional GE Aviation CEO role until June 2022.
What are Dennis Muilenburg and Larry Culp doing now?
As of 2026, New Vista Capital lists Muilenburg as co-founder, chairman and senior partner. Larry Culp is chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace.
Why are their names associated with both the 737 MAX and 777X?
Both programs connected Boeing closely with GE’s aviation businesses during their overlapping leadership period. The MAX relied on the CFM LEAP-1B engine, while the 777X was designed around GE’s GE9X engine. Problems affecting either Boeing production or GE engine development could therefore affect both companies financially and operationally.
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