SEATTLE, May 7 - Boeing ( BA )-owned Wisk Aero announced

Wednesday that its CEO Brian Yutko is leaving to take over

product development for Boeing's ( BA ) commercial airplanes

division.

In his new role, Yutko will still oversee Wisk, which is

developing an autonomous air taxi, Boeing Commercial

Airplanes' head of product strategy Mike Sinnett told employees

in an internal memo shared with Reuters.

"The combination of projects under one umbrella gives us

more collaboration opportunities that will benefit Boeing ( BA ) well

into the future," Sinnett said in the memo.

In Wisk's news release announcing the moves, Yutko said

joining Boeing ( BA ) will "connect the pioneering technologies and

bold spirit of innovation we've cultivated at Wisk."

Prior to joining the San Francisco-based company in 2023,

Yutko was a senior leader in BCA's research and development of

future aircraft systems, such as autonomous air taxis.

Wisk currently is developing an electric, four-seat air taxi,

dubbed the 6th Generation.

In March, Boeing CFO Brian West said at an investors conference

that technology being pioneered by Wisk will be key to the

future of autonomous flight and valuable to the rest of Boeing's ( BA )

business. "It's small, it's important, and we're staying with

it."

Sebastien Vigneron is taking over as Wisk CEO. He previously

was Wisk's senior vice president of engineering and programs.