Eutelsat has announced the appointment of Jean-François Fallacher as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a strategic leadership transition as the company enters a new phase following its merger with OneWeb and prepares for its role in the upcoming EU IRIS2 constellation project. The decision was made during a Board Meeting on May 4, 2025, based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Governance Committee. Fallacher will officially assume the role on June 1, 2025.
A highly experienced executive in the telecommunications sector, Fallacher joins Eutelsat after a long tenure at Orange, where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and CEO of Orange France. His international leadership experience spans several key markets, having previously led Orange’s operations in Spain, Romania and Poland. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at Wanadoo Netherlands and Sofrecom, bringing a blend of expertise in R&D, sales and operations. Fallacher holds degrees from Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications in Paris.
Fallacher takes the helm from Eva Berneke, who has led Eutelsat since January 2022. Under her leadership, the company achieved several transformative milestones, including the high-profile merger with OneWeb in 2023—creating the world’s only combined LEO (Low Earth Orbit) and GEO (Geostationary Orbit) satellite operator. Berneke also oversaw Eutelsat’s designation as a core partner in the EU’s forthcoming IRIS2 multi-orbit constellation and led the innovative divestment of its passive ground segment, a first among satellite operators.
Dominique D’Hinnin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eutelsat, commented: “On behalf of myself, Vice-Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, and the other members of the Board, I warmly thank Eva Berneke for her dynamic and committed leadership through these significant milestones in Eutelsat’s development and for delivering on our telecoms pivot strategy, in a period that has seen significantly increased competitive and geopolitical pressure.
“I am delighted to welcome Jean-François Fallacher as he picks up the baton from Eva. With his proven track record of success and wealth of experience and expertise, I am convinced he is the right leader to take Eutelsat forward and successfully steward the company through the opportunities and challenges which will undoubtedly present themselves in the coming years.”
Jean-François Fallacher said: “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, and I look forward to building on Eva’s foundations, and working with its talented teams to ensure we achieve our goals.”
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