[Satellite TODAY 04-18-13] Arianespace has appointed Stéphane Israël as its new chairman and CEO, the company announced April 18. Israël replaces Jean-Yves Le Gall, who is the new president of French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales). Israël starts his new role next week.

    Israël moved to the aerospace industry in 2007, first as advisor to Louis Gallois, CEO of EADS, then holding various operational management positions at Astrium Space Transportation and Astrium Services. In May last year, Israël was appointed chief of staff to the French Minister for Industrial Renewal.

    "I would like to extend my thanks to the Arianespace board of directors for entrusting me with this position, and allowing me to carry on the excellent work accomplished by Jean-Yves Le Gall over the last ten years. It is indeed a great honor for me to be chosen to lead a company that is now the global benchmark in space transport," Israël said in a statement.