Boeing Korea President Will Shaffer

Former Boeing Japan President Will Shaffer has been transferred to Seoul from Tokyo to oversee the U.S. aircraft manufacturer's Korean operations.

Boeing said on Monday that the new Boeing Korea president will also oversee the company's strategy outside the United States, focusing on developing country strategies, assessing global geopolitical risks and identifying new growth opportunities.

"It's an honor to join Boeing Korea to lead the operations during a crucial time for our business globally and in Korea," Shaffer said.

"Boeing Korea has a growing customer base, a thriving ecosystem of suppliers and partners and a world-class research and development facility, and there are more opportunities on the horizon."

Shaffer served for a decade as a lieutenant commander and P-3 pilot in the U.S. Navy, after earning a bachelor's degree in oceans engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1992.

Prior to joining McKinsey & Company in 2004, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

After working for several other companies, Shaffer joined Boeing in 2013.

He has held several positions in more than a decade at Boeing, such as management of large procurement organizations and oversight of the distribution of critical materials and aerospace standards. He led the U.S. firm's Japanese unit for more than five years.

"Will brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of leadership within Boeing, making him well-suited to guide our operations in Korea and lead the global strategy team during this crucial time," Boeing Global President Brendan Nelson said.

"We are excited to have him back in the region with an expanded role, where he will work to enhance our presence in this significant market."

In 2023, Boeing spent over $300 million with Korean suppliers to increase its presence here and pursue opportunities with its partners, and advance Korea's aerospace technologies.

It also opened the Boeing Korea Engineering & Technology Center in Seoul in 2019 to conduct strategic research on future technologies, including autonomous flight, artificial intelligence, software engineering, avionics, electronics and displays, and model-based engineering.