Southwest shakes up board after coming under pressure from big shareholder

Southwest Airlines will revamp its board and its chairman will retire next year, but it intends to keep CEO Robert Jordan after a meeting with hedge fund Elliott Investment Management, which has sought a leadership shakeup at the airline including Jordan’s ouster.

Southwest said Tuesday that six directors will leave the board in November and it plans to appoint four new ones, who could include candidates put forward by Elliott.

Elliott, the fund led by billionaire investor Paul Singer, has built a 10% stake in recent weeks and advocated changes it says will improve Southwest’s financial performance and stock price. The two sides met Monday.

Shares of Southwest Airlines Co. rose slightly before the opening bell Tuesday.