Ksenia Drozdova, Deputy Director General for Business Development of Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC), was elected Director General of the Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications (IOSC). The decision was passed at the joint 49th session of the Board and 23rd session of the Operations Committee of the Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications (Intersputnik IOSC), held from April 5 to May 14, 2021 in a remote format.

Maxar Technologies today announced that Daniel Nord will join the company as Senior Vice President, Chief Product Officer, effective May 24. Nord joins from Amazon where he first led Product Management for Games and then served as GM for Amazon Kids and Family’s Mobile, Content and International divisions.

Maxar Technologies today announced that Chris Johnson will join the company as Senior Vice President of Space Programs Delivery (SPD), effective May 24. Johnson most recently served as president of Boeing Satellite Systems International, Inc., where he was responsible for strategy, capture, development and manufacturing of Boeing’s commercial satellite business.

Listen to audio podcasts with key satellite industry executives including: Ken Grelck, Global Communications Industry Lead--Capgemini Engineering and R&D global business line;  Mitja Lovsin, General Manager-STN; Jack Waters, CEO-Xiplink;  Alvaro Sanchez, CEO-Integrasys;  Dan Zajicek, CEO-Spacecom; Dave Rehbehn, VP-Intnernational Division, Hughes Newtwork Systems; Krystal Dredge, Marketing Director-AvL Technologies;  Carl Novello, CTO-NXTCOMM; Alexander Mueller-Gastell, CEO-ND SatCom;  Vagan Shakhgildian, CEO-UHP Networks; David Gelerman, CEO, Spacebridge; Lou Dubin, SVP-Product Marketing, Comtech EF Data;  Bob Hansen, VP-Sales and Marketing, Terrasat; Steve Richeson, VP-Sales, Mission Microwave and Semir Hassanaly, Head of Cellular Backhaul and Trunking, ST Engineering iDirect.  Click here to listen to the podcasts.

Globecast has announced that Denis Genevois has been promoted to Marketing and Communications VP with Valéry Bonneau promoted to Internal and External Communications Director. Genevois also sits on the Executive Committee and reports directly to Globecast CEO Philippe Bernard. Bonneau reports to Genevois in his new role. Previous Communications Group VP, Olivier Zankel, has left to take up another position within Orange Group. 

SpaceLink, a company that is building an information superhighway for the space economy, today announced that it added three top space industry executives to its team. They bring deep expertise in finance, program management, and the U.S. government intelligence community, to drive forward the relay service that provides secure, continuous, high-capacity communications between LEO spacecraft and the ground.

Steve Shelby announced his retirement effective April 27, 2021, after 17 years as VP of Sales and Marketing at Cross Technologies, Inc. "Steve has always done an excellent job providing quotations and technical support to customers world-wide over his 17-year career at Cross, and sales increased substantially as a result of his sales and marketing efforts," said a company statement. 

At its cabinet meeting on Wednesday 14 April, the French government appointed Philippe Baptiste as President of the French space agency, Centre National d'ètudes Spaciales (CNES).

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), today announced the appointment of Former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Chief and former Oklahoma Congressman James "Jim" Bridenstine to its Board of Directors. Bridenstine will serve as a Class II director, with an initial term expiring at the Company's 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. With the appointment of Bridenstine, the Board now consists of eight members, six of whom are independent directors.

At the Satellite 2023 show in Washington, D.C., Satellite Markets and Research Editor-in-Chief Virgil Labrador spoke with Chris Carella, Chief Commercial Officer of small satellite manufacturer Benchmark Systems.