Astrium, Europe’s leading space technology company, is further accelerating its AGILE transformation plan by swapping roles for two of its three divisional chiefs. The move will make Astrium more competitive and enhance its technical and commercial capability in the satellite and space services markets.
As a result, on 15 October 2012 Evert Dudok will take over as Astrium Services CEO, with Eric Béranger moving in the opposite direction to become Astrium Satellites CEO. The switch will bring about even closer cooperation between the two divisions.
“The ability to provide satellites and services at the same time is an exceptional asset in the global space market,” said Astrium CEO François Auque. “Eric Béranger and Evert Dudok will each be able to take a fresh and informed view of the organisations and activities at their new divisions and they will help strengthen synergies between the two areas to develop innovative products and services for our customers.”
Among other satellites, Astrium Satellites has manufactured the radar observation satellites TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, the very-high-resolution optical Pléiades constellation, the optical high resolution satellites Spot 6 and 7, and the secure military satcoms Skynet 5 constellation, which are operated by Astrium Services. The two Astrium divisions are also working together on the future European Data Relay System (EDRS) in conjunction with the European Space Agency (ESA) and their partners.
Born in 1959 in the Netherlands, Evert Dudok began his career with Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA) in Germany, having completed summa cum laude a degree in electronic engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology in 1984. After successfully working in the field of antennas, telecommunications and navigation, he was appointed head ofAstrium Space Transportation in 2005, and then took over as CEO of Astrium Satellites in 2007. The division is now one of the world’s leading satellite manufacturers, not only in the fields of commercial and military telecommunications but also in Earth observation, science and navigation and is a world leader in satellite equipment.
Dudok will continue to represent Astrium in Germany, where he is also Vice-President of the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI). He will also be taking charge of industrial coordination with Cassidian.
Eric Béranger founded Astrium Services in 2003. Born in 1963, and a graduate of France’s École Polytechnique, he oversaw year-on-year growth of nearly 50 percent for Astrium’s youngest division prior to the acquisition of Vizada in 2011. A graduate of France’s Advanced School of Telecommunications (ENST), Béranger worked for France Telecom and Société Générale earlier in his career before joining Matra Marconi Space (now Astrium Satellites). He has also been Chairman of the European Satellite Operators’ Association (ESOA) since 2011.
Astrium Services is now one of the world’s largest satellite service providers and employs more than 3,000 people. It offers military, governmental and commercial telecommunications services, as well as Earth-observation satellite services.
About Astrium
Astrium is the number one company in Europe for space technologies and the third in the world. In 2011, Astrium had a turnover close to €5 billion and 18,000 employees worldwide, mainly in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.
Astrium is the sole European company that covers the whole range of civil and defence space systems and services.
Its three business units are: Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure; Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment; Astrium Services for comprehensive fixed and mobile end-to-end solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and networks, high security and broadcast satellite communications equipment and systems, and bespoke geo-information services, worldwide.
Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2011, the Group – comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 49.1 billion and employed a workforce of over 133,000.
