Gary Gysin to step down as Wisk CEO

Wisk Aero’s CEO Gary Gysin is retiring from his position and as a member of the board at the end of January. Boeing’s Dr. Brian Yutko has been chosen as his replacement. 

As CEO, Gysin (pictured above left) helped found Wisk, led the formation of the firm’s leadership team and set the direction for the company’s long-term vision, while also strengthening the strategic partnership with Boeing, said Wisk.

Brian Schettler, chairman, Wisk’s board, said: “On behalf of Wisk’s board, employees, and the broader AAM industry, I want to thank Gary for his dedication, commitment, and leadership since Wisk’s founding in 2019. Gary’s authenticity, execution, and vision have established Wisk as a leader in AAM, built trust among the broader public, and advanced the industry as a whole.”

After nearly four decades on the forefront of technology and autonomy, Gysin made the “difficult decision” to retire, he said. “Leading Wisk has been one of the most rewarding roles of my career and I’m honoured to have helped lay the foundation for both the company and the future of mobility. Wisk is an incredibly unique and rare place, with passionate and smart people at all levels and the resources to make it across the finish line. I’m very excited to continue watching Wisk succeed under the strong leadership of Brian Yutko.”

Following a search process, Yutko was selected to join Wisk as the new CEO mainly due to his experience with eVTOLs and autonomous technology. He was selected by a unanimous vote.

Schettler added: “We are excited to welcome Brian Yutko as Wisk’s new CEO. To date, Brian has already been instrumental to Wisk’s success – from helping to secure additional resources for Wisk from within Boeing, to championing the Concept of Operations, developed by the two companies.”

Yutko currently serves as vice president and chief engineer of Sustainability & Future Mobility at Boeing. He has also served in multiple leadership roles at Boeing, including chief technologist for Boeing NeXt. He began his career at MIT and NASA.

Yutko said: “I’ve spent my career pursuing the future of aviation and Wisk is the embodiment of that pursuit. I’m fortunate to have been part of Wisk’s effort over the past two years as a member of the Board and I’m honoured to take on the role as CEO. Under Gary’s leadership, Wisk has built an incredibly strong team with a track record of success. We have no plans of slowing down and I’m excited to lead this incredible team as we advance safe, everyday, autonomous flight.”

Yutko will resign his current position with Boeing and assume his role as CEO at Wisk, effective February 1, 2023.