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Boeing Names John Craig to Lead Business in the Middle East/Gulf Region

Chicago/June 17, 2003/Satnews Daily/ — Boeing Company has named John Craig to the new position of regional vice president in the Middle East with a concentration on the Gulf States.

Craig will coordinate all company business activities enterprise-wide in a number of countries across the region. Boeing said. The creation of this position and its responsibilities are patterned after Boeing locations in other countries and regions, including Saudi Arabia. Craig will be based in the United Arab Emirates although Boeing will maintain separate representation in Saudi Arabia.

"The Middle East, and particularly the Arab Gulf region, is a dynamic economic power and home to an increasing number of important customers and partners," said Boeing Chairman and CEO Phil Condit. "John will help us further develop these relationships with his vast experience and knowledge of the region."

For more than 50 years, the Boeing Company has had long-standing partnerships in the Middle East. The company has worked closely with businesses, governments and airlines to grow the aerospace industry in the region. A former United States ambassador to Oman, Craig will lead the development of Boeing's strategy across Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Craig will help expand Boeing's local-market presence and profile and will pursue new revenue-growth opportunities.

Immediately prior to this assignment, Craig worked for Coanda Effect Inc., an international financial and consulting services group, and traveled extensively in the Gulf region on behalf of international business clients.

Previously, as a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, he had numerous assignments both internationally and in the State Department. He pursued his career focus on economic analysis during assignments in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Egypt and Haiti. Craig speaks Arabic, French and Spanish.

He became deputy chief of mission at the American Embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus followed by a similar posting to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. On his return to the United States in 1995, he was appointed to head the office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs in the State Department's Near East Bureau.

Then, in June 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton nominated Craig to be ambassador to Oman. After three years in the post he returned to the United  States to be appointed by President George W. Bush as a Special Assistant to the President. He served on the staff of the National Security Council with Gen. Wayne Downing, Deputy National Security Advisor.

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