By Jess Jones
UK aerospace startup Orbex has set its sights skywards with a fresh leadership duo as it gears up to launch one of the first rockets from Britain.
The Scotland-based firm has appointed scale-up pro Phillip Chambers as its new chief executive while Miguel Bello Mora will depart as director general at the Spanish Space Agency to join Orbex as executive chair.
Chambers is a seasoned scaling expert with over two decades worth of experience building tech companies including Gumtree and Peakon, bought by Workday in 2021.
Alongside Mora, formerly the commissioner for the Aesospace Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE), Chambers will prepare Orbex for lift off as it scales up amid a rapidly expanding space sector.#
“I’ve never experienced a more exciting time during my 40 years in the space industry,” said Mora.
“Orbex’s ambition to continually drive the industry forward in both technology and green innovation, is unique for the business, and I am pleased to be able to help shape this,” he added.
Founded in 2015, Orbex has grown fast, prompting former boss Martin Coates to say the company needs to transition to its next stage of development.
Although a launch date is yet to be announced, the company is preparing for the take-off of the Prime micro-launcher, a 19 metre long rocket designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 180kg.
Orbex is in talks about developing a larger rocket too.
