At the Agency’s headquarters in Paris, the ESA Council appointed Mr Antonio Fabrizi, an Italian, to the post of Director of Launchers, for a four-year term.
Antonio Fabrizi, 55, graduated in Mechanical Engineering at « La Sapienza » University in Rome. From 1975 to 1989 he held several positions at BPD, including responsibility for feasibility studies on Ariane boosters.
In 1990 he was appointed Commercial Manager at FiatSpazio in charge of new initiatives development. In 1993 he became head of the Space Transportation Systems Business Unit at BPD. Between 1997 and 1999, within FiatAvio/UBS, he continued in the same responsibilities, including the Cyclone and Vega programmes.
Since 2000 Mr Fabrizi has been Vice-President, Space Business Unit, at FiatAvio and responsible for all space activities. In addition he holds several directorships (including Europropulsion, Regulus and Arianespace) and is President and Director General of Vegaspazio.
Mr Fabrizi will succeed Mr Jean-Jacques Dordain, the current Director of Launchers, who takes up his new duties as ESA Director General on 1 July.