The Boeing Company today named John W. Bruns as vice president-China Operations, Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA). The posting, effective immediately, makes Bruns BCA's senior in-country executive and underscores the company's long-term commitment to China.

Bruns, 41, will report to Mike Cave, vice president, BCA Airplane Programs, and will be responsible for overseeing BCA's China strategy and business development. He will work with Boeing-China President David Wang who reports to Boeing International and represents Boeing's broader corporate interests in China.

"John's customer focus, extensive China experience and proven cross-cultural leadership skills make him the ideal choice to expand our growing partnership with this dynamic and important country," said Alan Mulally, BCA president and chief executive officer. "China is an important partner and a highly valued customer. This new position symbolizes our commitment to the future there."

Bruns, a 20-year veteran of The Boeing Company, will relocate to Beijing from Seattle, where he has served since 1999 as Sales director, Asia Pacific, responsible for leading teams serving various Chinese airline customers. During his tenure, Bruns' teams recorded sales and commitments valued at more than US$8 billion.

Bruns spent his formative years in Asia where he learned Mandarin. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian Studies from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. He earned his MBA in International Business from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University in California.

The posting to Beijing will be Bruns' second China assignment. Beginning in 1994, he worked in the McDonnell Douglas Beijing office, continuing in that position during and after the merger with The Boeing Company.

Boeing projects that China will be the world's second largest market for new commercial airplanes after the United States, with demand for 2,600 aircraft valued at $213 billion during the next 20 years. Since the beginning of the Boeing-China relationship in 1972, Boeing has provided some 61 percent of China's commercial jetliner fleet. A major aspect of the Boeing-China relationship is a shared dedication to providing a safe and efficient operating environment during the country's rapid airline growth. Boeing works with Chinese airlines on design requirements for new Boeing airplanes and relies on China as an important supplier of high-quality assemblies for all current models, including the new 787 Dreamliner.