01.04.2022

André Wall takes over operational management

RUAG International CEO André Wall will also take over the operational management of Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space) as of May 1. Declared goals: to become more agile, more innovative and bigger. Luis de León Chardel is leaving the Group to pursue a new career.

"My goal is not only to grow with Beyond Gravity, but to become the innovation engine of the industry thanks to co-creation with startups and our customers."

André Wall CEO

In addition to heading the Executive Board, André Wall will take over operational management of the Space division Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space) as of May 1. Luis de León Chardel, who held this position ad interim, has decided to take on a new challenge outside the company. A native of Spain, he had been with RUAG Space since October 2017, first as Senior Vice President Operations, and from May 2020 Luis de León Chardel led the Space segment. André Wall says: "I would like to thank Luis de León Chardel very much for his energetic commitment. He took over the reins in a time of upheaval and unraveled the business and set the new direction in motion with a great deal of passion and leadership. Thanks to his proven expertise in lean management, he has realigned the division globally and laid the foundation for transnational projects. I wish Luis de León Chardel nothing but the best for his future career."

Boosting growth: partnerships, market development in the USA and industrialization

André Wall says, "I am excited to enter the space business operationally. My goal is not only to grow with Beyond Gravity, but to become the innovation engine of the industry thanks to co-creation with startups and our customers, for example with 7-meter fairings, in-orbit structures or reusable launch vehicles." André Wall, who is seen as customer-focused, is particularly keen to expand strategic partnerships, double the company's U.S. business and drive the industrialization of production through automation.

"The omens for growth have never been better than in the coming decade," André Wall continues. "We expect weekly launches of rockets, the satellite business will quintuple in the next seven years driven by commercial constellations." Beyond Gravity intends to carry this momentum, invest more in R&D and develop into one of the leading technology giants for Space.

Continue divestment strategy and focus on space

RUAG International is shrinking as it systematically implements its divestment strategy. The deal with Thales for Simulation & Training is due to close in the first half of 2022. Recently, the signing with Beretta Holding for the Ammotec ammunition business took place. The MRO unit in Australia is also earmarked for sale. RUAG Aerostructures is also to be privatized in the medium term. This will put the sole focus on the space business. As the new CEO, André Wall aims to advance the newly branded Beyond Gravity unit to become an agile leading-edge technology provider and make it big.

Clemens Gähwiler Spokesperson