French satellite leader Eutelsat has appointed former Orange CEO Jean-François Fallacher as its new Chief Executive Officer. This move signals Eutelsat’s strategic shift towards a deeper integration into the telecom sector’s ecosystem.
Jean-François Fallacher brings a wealth of experience from his tenure at Orange. He held various pivotal roles in multiple countries including Spain, Romania, and Poland. His expertise spans research, development, sales, and operations. Before joining Orange, he was Chief Operating Officer at Wanadoo in the Netherlands and CEO at Sofrecom, a consultancy specializing in telecom.
Eutelsat’s decision arrives as it finalizes its merger with OneWeb, establishing the planet’s sole operator with both Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) capabilities. Additionally, Eutelsat is embedding itself into the European Union’s IRIS² initiative, boosting Europe’s autonomous space capabilities.
Fallacher succeeds Eva Berneke, who achieved significant milestones during her leadership, such as the OneWeb integration and securing a role in the EU’s IRIS² constellation project. Berneke also spearheaded Eutelsat’s pioneering exit from its passive ground segment, setting a first among satellite operators.
Commenting on his new position, Fallacher expressed, “I am excited to be joining Eutelsat at such a pivotal moment in its history. Technology is evolving faster than ever, and in today’s increasingly complex geopolitical context, satellite networks have become a key element in the connectivity landscape. I am convinced Eutelsat has the fundamentals to be a winner in this environment.”
