Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin To Replace CEO Bob Smith With Amazon Exec Dave Limp (cnbc.com) 27
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will replace CEO Bob Smith with outgoing Amazon executive Dave Limp, CNBC has learned. Smith is retiring effective Dec. 4 and will remain with the company until Jan. 2 for the CEO transition, according to notes to Blue Origin staff written by Smith and Bezos that were obtained by CNBC.
Limp joins Blue Origin at a key phase of the company's multiple space projects. Blue needs to ramp production of its BE-4 rocket engines, return its space tourism rocket New Shepard to flight, and launch its next-generation New Glenn rocket for the first time -- as well as deliver on a recently-won NASA contract for a crewed lunar lander.
In a statement to CNBC, a Blue Origin spokesperson praised Limp as "a proven innovator with a customer-first mindset" who has "extensive experience in the high-tech industry and growing highly complex organizations." Amazon announced last month that Limp would be stepping down later this year. As Amazon's devices and services chief, Limp oversaw Amazon's Alexa, Echo and Ring units, as well as some of its more experimental divisions like Zoox autonomous vehicles, and the Project Kuiper internet satellite business.
Limp joins Blue Origin at a key phase of the company's multiple space projects. Blue needs to ramp production of its BE-4 rocket engines, return its space tourism rocket New Shepard to flight, and launch its next-generation New Glenn rocket for the first time -- as well as deliver on a recently-won NASA contract for a crewed lunar lander.
In a statement to CNBC, a Blue Origin spokesperson praised Limp as "a proven innovator with a customer-first mindset" who has "extensive experience in the high-tech industry and growing highly complex organizations." Amazon announced last month that Limp would be stepping down later this year. As Amazon's devices and services chief, Limp oversaw Amazon's Alexa, Echo and Ring units, as well as some of its more experimental divisions like Zoox autonomous vehicles, and the Project Kuiper internet satellite business.
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But this says your name is Anonymous Coward.
Re: the name is dick (Score:2)
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You had an opportunity, with the first post, do make the joke about the dong-shaped rocket. But, instead, you went for such low hanging fruit, it was already rotting on in the dirt. Shame.
In any case, successful flight of the BE-4 will mean the end of the Amazon dick rocket humor genre. The Blue Origin capsule is sized to fit the BE-4, not the skinnier BE-3.
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In any case, successful flight of the BE-4 will mean the end of the Amazon dick rocket humor genre. The Blue Origin capsule is sized to fit the BE-4, not the skinnier BE-3.
BE-3 and BE-4 are not rockets. They are rocket ENGINES. The only capsule I'm aware of Blue Origin having is for the New Shepard sub orbital rocket and it (the rocket) does use the BE-3 engine.
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dick limp
This is no time for lame jokes.
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It was inevitable, I suppose. Never do I see an article mentioning Bezos that doesn't end up collapsing into dick jokes. Maybe Slashdot needs a new icon for Bezos related stories.
By name, by nature (Score:2)
Any aerospace experience? (Score:3)
OK then.
Re:Any aerospace experience? (Score:4, Insightful)
But "a proven innovator with a customer-first mindset". That's senior management gold right there. Who needs engineering knowledge if you are just putting customers first. Like that guy with the Titanic sub.
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But "a proven innovator with a customer-first mindset". That's senior management gold right there. Who needs engineering knowledge if you are just putting customers first. Like that guy with the Titanic sub.
Why pick someone with knowledge of the field to run a company when you can pick someone with no knowledge of the field but who has success in a different totally unrelated field? Sounds like a way for Blue Origin to keep up its unbroken 23 year record of being a rocket company that has not only never achieved orbit but doesn't even have a single failed orbital launch attempt.
If Bezos keeps up like this he can spend the rest of his life working towards his stated goal of moving industry to orbit but never a
This guy OK'ed $10 billion launch contracts (Score:3)
of which 10 of the launches goes to the company he'll be heading up. They went from Rob Meyerson (Old Space but doing New Space R&D) to Bob Smith (Honeywell Old Space) to the guy running money losing Amazon hardware division. I wonder what his marching order will be (Bob Smith grow the company head count 10 fold with lots of very nice looking rocket making building).
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of which 10 of the launches goes to the company he'll be heading up.
He quite BRILLIANTLY allotted those 3 contracts to:
1/ The Arianne 6 which is years behind and still hasn't launched (planned Dec 2023 now).
2/ To the Vulcan Centaur (using the much delayed Blue Origin BE-4 engines) which is also years behind and still hasn't launched. It has multiple planned launches for December and I have my doubts as to which if any of them will happen. I find it hard to believe that after a 1st test launch they won't have a month or 2 of analysis before a 2nd launch (if not longer).
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The first launch of Kuiper prototype is going to be on one of the 9 Atlas V they've bought (there are literally only 29 of those rocket engines ULA have: 9 for Amazon-Kuiper, 7 for Boeing-Starliner, 1 for USSF-51, and 1 for ViaSat-3). Mind you, this is a rocket that can launch ViaSat-3 that took a fully expended Falcon Heavy to the same orbit and they're only launching a pair of prototype.
Lame. (Score:2)
I mean limp.
Corporate focus out of... focus (Score:1)
The BE-4 engines were sidelined so Captain Blue Penis could beat Sir Richard Virgin to space.
Now ULA has no engines, and Blue Origin has no rockets.
This town doesn't need a CEO enema. It needs the bald cowboy-hat wearing idiot at the top of the dungheap to STFU and resign.
I can't believe shareholders aren't demaning he resign. He's taken Amazon and Blue Origin from success to laughinstock in two years.
Big goo-bye besos to Jeffrey.
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they're running somewhat behind but their track record has been good so far
WHAT FRICKING TRACK RECORD? They have 23 YEARS of NEVER launching a SINGLE rocket with the goal of putting a cargo in orbit. SpaceX made their first attempt in under 4 years and did it in 6 years. SpaceX is developing the FOURTH generation of orbital capable rockets and Blue Origin is STILL on their FIRST generation. This in spite of Bezos having as his stated goal moving industry into orbit.
Multiple other companies have been formed since SpaceX and have developed at least one generation of boosters cap
The game of CEO musical chairs is on (Score:3)
I feel reminded of a football club that doesn't perform, so what do they do? Well, change the trainer of course. Because obviously if a team cannot win, the one to blame is clearly the one person who does NOT play.
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Also In both cases, firing some middle level manager may or may not lead to a change in performance. They may not have a real say in the higher level strategy, and they aren't doing the ac
What's in a name? (Score:2)
Blue Origin: Bob Smith, Dave Limp. Boooring. These are the names you'd expect to head up a life insurance company.
SpaceX: Gywnne Shotwell. Now that's more like it!
More to the point: although we're talking about executives here, not engineers, Shotwell's career prior to SpaceX was in aerospace. Dave Limp's is, uhhh, not. He's mostly been in charge of Amazon's consumer electronics. Oooh, and Alexa. I'm sure that translates really well to r
Blew organ (Score:2)
Is Blue Organ anything other than a vanity project for Bezos? Every billionaire needs a yacht and a rocket ship.