Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced the appointment of Dave Limp, a former executive at Amazon, as its new CEO. Limp will replace Bob Smith, who will step down at the end of the year.
- Dave Limp brings extensive experience from his tenure at Amazon, where he led the company’s consumer devices unit, including products like Kindle and Echo. His expertise in technology and innovation is expected to drive Blue Origin’s future growth and competitiveness in the space industry.
- The decision to appoint Limp as CEO comes after months of discussions between Jeff Bezos and Bob Smith. Smith expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition with the new CEO and will remain with the company until early January.
- Limp’s background includes overseeing Amazon’s Kuiper project, which aims to create a network of internet-beaming satellites to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink network. His experience in the space sector will be valuable as Blue Origin looks to launch its orbital launch business and lunar lander projects.
- Under Bob Smith’s leadership, Blue Origin made significant progress in its suborbital space tourism business. However, the company faced challenges in securing government contracts and competing with SpaceX in the broader spaceflight industry.
- Blue Origin is currently developing the New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, which aims to rival SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Starship rockets. The company is focused on accelerating its development and catching up with its competitors.
- Jeff Bezos expressed confidence in Limp’s ability to lead the company forward, emphasizing a continued focus on customer commitments, production schedules, and operational excellence during the transition.