U.S. Stock Index Futures Steady After S&P 500 Hits Record on Strong Economic Data 
Uber and Baidu Partner to Test Robotaxis in the UK, Marking a New Milestone for Autonomous Ride-Hailing 
AstraZeneca’s LATIFY Phase III Trial of Ceralasertib Misses Primary Endpoint in Lung Cancer Study 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Holiday-Thinned Trading Persists 
Japan Approves Record ¥122.3 Trillion Budget as Takaichi Seeks Fiscal Balance 
Yen Stabilizes Near Lows as Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene Amid Dollar Weakness 
Saks Global Weighs Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Debt Pressures and Luxury Retail Slowdown 
Gold Prices Surge to Record Highs as Geopolitical Tensions Fuel Safe-Haven Demand 
Mexico Antitrust Review of Viva Aerobus–Volaris Deal Signals Growth for Airline Sector 
JPMorgan’s Top Large-Cap Pharma Stocks to Watch in 2026 
South Korean Court Clears Korea Zinc’s $7.4 Billion U.S. Smelter Project, Shares Surge 
BOJ Governor Signals Gradual Rate Hikes as Japan’s Inflation Nears 2% Target 
Platinum Surges to Record High as Supply Crunch and Policy Shift Drive Historic Rally 
Tokyo Core Inflation Stays Above BOJ Target, Strengthening Case for Further Rate Hikes 
Waymo Plans Safety and Emergency Response Upgrades After San Francisco Robotaxi Disruptions 
FTC Praises Instacart for Ending AI Pricing Tests After $60M Settlement 
South Korea Central Bank Warns of Rising Financial Stability Risks Amid Won Volatility 
Southwest Airlines revealed on Wednesday, June 23, that it has appointed Robert Jordan as its new chief executive officer as Gary Kelly is stepping down from his post. It was said that he will be the new company head effective on Feb. 1, 2022.
Changes in executive roles in Southwest
As per Reuters, Robert Jordan was Southwest Airlines’ executive vice president for corporate services prior to the promotion. Then again, Gary Kelly is not really leaving the company as he will be staying and just move to a new office for the role of executive chairman.
Kelly has been serving as the airlines’ CEO since 2004 and he could be serving the company as the executive chairman until 2026 since he is already 66 years old and could be retiring. On the other hand, Jordan has been working for the company since 1988 and throughout his tenure, he has served various roles including corporate controller and director of revenue accounting.
As Gary Kelly steps down next year, he will be capping his more than 17 years of service with big accomplishments for the company. Under his watch, he maneuvered the airline so it could grow further and he succeeded.
The successor’s priorities for the future of the company
As per CNBC, Gary Kelly has always been doing well and coping well even in times of financial crisis and when he passes the baton to his successor, he is expected to do the same. Robert Jordan has a lot of work to do once he assumes office as the new CEO.
He said that his priorities as the new chief include repairing the company’s balance sheet which translates to increasing the revenues. Southwest Airlines is currently doing its best to regain its footing as the travel demand is slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Moreover, the incoming Southwest Airlines chief added that hiring more workers is also part of his agenda and it is one of his priorities for next year as well. He will also call back the employees who have gone on leaves due to the pandemic. The ultimate aim is to get as many bookings so that the company can get back to its feet fast after falling hard due to the pandemic crisis.
“There’s still a lot of work to do to come out of the pandemic,” he said. “You got to play a little bit of offense and a little bit of defense.”
