Eutelsat Group has appointed Jean-François Fallacher as its new CEO, effective June 1, succeeding Eva Berneke. The French satellite operator said the decision was approved during a Sunday board meeting based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Governance Committee.
Fallacher brings extensive experience in telecommunications, most recently serving as executive vice president and CEO of Orange France. Throughout his decade-long career at Orange, he led operations in Spain, Romania and Poland. He also previously held leadership roles at Wanadoo Netherlands and consulting firm Sofrecom, focusing on research and development, sales and operations.
“With his proven track record of success and wealth of experience and expertise, I am convinced he is the right leader to take Eutelsat forward and successfully steward the company through the opportunities and challenges which will undoubtedly present themselves in the coming years,” said Dominique D’Hinnin, chairman of Eutelsat’s board.
In his statement, Fallacher emphasized the increasing importance of satellite networks in the evolving connectivity ecosystem and reaffirmed his confidence in the company’s strengths. “I am convinced Eutelsat has the fundamentals to be a winner in this environment, and I look forward to building on Eva’s foundations and working with its talented teams to ensure we achieve our goals,” he said.
Fallacher’s appointment comes amid Eutelsat’s continued push to strengthen its satellite capabilities and strategic role in Europe’s space ambitions. Late last year, the company signed a new contract with Airbus Defence and Space to help expand the OneWeb constellation by 2026. It is also a key partner in the IRIS2 initiative, a 290-satellite project that seeks to boost the European Union’s digital resilience and secure connectivity.
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