Oscar Munoz (executive)
Oscar Munoz | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 5, 1959 Southern California, United States |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Known for | CEO of United Airlines (2015–2020), Executive Chairman of United Airlines (2020–2021) |
Oscar Munoz (born January 5, 1959) is an American executive and board member who held the role of executive chairman at United Airlines from 2020 until 2021, following his service as CEO from 2015 to 2020. Prior to his time at United Airlines, Munoz occupied senior leadership positions at CSX Corporation and AT&T, and was a board member of the parent company United Continental Holdings (UCH).
In December 2019, Munoz revealed plans to shift into the executive chairman role by May 2020, with President Scott Kirby designated to take over as CEO during United’s annual shareholder meeting.
Early life and education
Born on January 5, 1959, Munoz is the oldest of ten siblings in a Mexican-American family from Southern California. He became the first in his family to earn a college degree, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of Southern California in 1982, followed by an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Career
Munoz launched his professional journey in finance at PepsiCo, subsequently advancing to regional vice president of finance and administration at The Coca-Cola Company.
From 1999 until its merger with Qwest in 2000, he served as CFO for US West, then continued as vice president of finance through 2001. Between 2001 and 2003, Munoz held the positions of CFO and vice president for consumer services at AT&T.
In 2003, he joined CSX Corporation as CFO and chief strategist, later ascending to chief operating officer in 2012 and president in 2015. As COO, he oversaw operational performance metrics such as train on-time arrivals. Although slated to become CSX’s CEO by late 2015, Munoz departed in September that year to lead United Airlines.
Munoz assumed the CEO position at United Airlines on September 8, 2015, succeeding Jeff Smisek. He had been a member of United Continental Holdings’ board since its inception in 2004. Early during his leadership, he embarked on a "listening tour" engaging employees but was hospitalized due to a heart attack just over a month into his tenure.
Post-merger labor integration issues between Continental and United remained challenging. Under Munoz’s leadership, five-year agreements for flight attendants were ratified swiftly, and all union labor contracts were renegotiated by late 2016. Pilots secured a two-year contract extension that year, restoring some compensation and benefits lost after 9/11. In August 2016, Munoz appointed Scott Kirby, formerly of American Airlines, as United’s president.
In 2015, Munoz was one of only two Hispanic CEOs among the top 100 on the Fortune 500 list and was recognized among the "100 Most Influential Hispanics" by Hispanic Business magazine. He earned PRWeek's "Communicator of the Year" award in March 2017.
Nevertheless, Munoz encountered significant backlash following the April 2017 incident involving the forcible removal of a passenger from United Express Flight 3411. His initial communication defending staff and labeling the passenger as "disruptive and belligerent" triggered widespread criticism. Although he issued a later apology with a softer tone, it failed to fully mitigate negative reactions; experts cited this as a serious public relations setback amid mounting pressure from activist investors to enhance customer relations. Subsequently, UCH confirmed that while Munoz would remain CEO, he would not assume expanded company-wide authority previously planned. He had been expected to become chairman in 2018.
The announcement of Munoz’s transition to executive chairman came in December 2019 with effect from May 2020. During the COVID-19 crisis, he publicly expressed gratitude toward the U.S. government for airline industry financial support and committed United’s aircraft for medical supply transport. He actively engaged policymakers regarding federal relief aimed at job preservation and consumer safeguards.
Scott Kirby succeeded Munoz as CEO at United’s annual meeting in May 2020. Munoz then served a one-year term as chairman of United Airlines Holdings following Jane Garvey’s retirement. On May 27, 2021, Edward "Ted" Philip took over as non-executive chairman.
Outside United Airlines, Munoz has contributed as a board member for the University of North Florida and Vanderbilt University’s PAFA advisory board. He is also a voting trustee at the University of Southern California and co-chairs its Finance and Campus Planning Committee.
Author
In 2023, Munoz released his memoir titled Turnaround Time, chronicling his path from an immigrant background to becoming the first Latino CEO of a leading U.S. airline. The book details his leadership approach at United Airlines, including his employee listening tour that influenced corporate recovery efforts. It also recounts his heart attack in 2015 and subsequent heart transplant.
Articles
- Oscar Munoz (May 11, 2023) Transcript: Race in America: Breaking Barriers with Oscar Munoz. Washingtonpost
- Oscar Munoz (April 22, 2024) Regaining Trust and Inspiring Change in the Most Chaotic Times
- Oscar Munoz (April 13, 2017) United CEO Oscar Munoz: The Rise And Fall Of A 'Communicator Of The Year'
Board positions
Munoz holds directorships at Salesforce, Univision, CBRE, and Archer. He also sits on trustees boards for Fidelity Investments, the University of Southern California, and The Brookings Institution. Additionally, he serves on the Defense Business Board under the United States Department of Defense.
Personal life
Munoz is married and has four children. He enjoys cycling and running marathons in his leisure time.
Philanthropy
In 2011, Munoz and his spouse contributed $100,000 to the University of North Florida to create a scholarship aimed at supporting first-generation college attendees. That same year, they also donated $1 million to a middle school in Florida to aid a program focused on preventing student dropouts.
Health
On October 15, 2015, shortly after assuming the role of CEO at United Airlines, Munoz experienced a heart attack. While awaiting a heart transplant, he continued conducting senior management interviews from his home, utilizing medical equipment for support. He underwent the transplant on January 5, 2016, and resumed his duties by March. Munoz is one of the rare CEOs who have maintained leadership after receiving a heart transplant and has openly shared his dietary shift from veganism to a "flexitarian" approach following the operation.