This week, the former general counsel of United Airlines was named company president. Amid the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, Brett Hart assumes his new role as president at United, almost five years after his leadership was tapped during another crisis for the Chicago-based airliner.
In fall 2015, United’s new CEO, Oscar Munoz, had a heart attack that led to a heart transplant. As Munoz took medical leave, United depended on Hart to be CEO in the interim. At the time, GCs rarely ascended to the CEO spot. Hart eventually became the chief administrative officer, a role that United won’t fill after Hart vacates it to become president.
