[SatNews] Astrium 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 October 15, 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.

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 MILSATCOM 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 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 of Astrium 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.