Reports in the French press that the new French government was questioning the appointment of Jean-Marie Luton as Arianespace's new president and director-general (PDG) were denied by the company yesterday.
When Arianespace's air show press conference was cancelled dramatically yesterday and a shareholders meeting delayed, it was suggested that the new French government was questioning the previous government's influence over Luton's appointment to head the company.
Arianespace said there was nothing sinister.
Normal
"This is a perfectly normal process for the new government to want to have time to assess all aspects before making strategic decisions," says a spokesman.
"The people responsible for space only took up their posts last Friday."
The shareholders meeting has been delayed routinely until 30 June.
There are no resolutions to discuss Luton's appointment and the board "-has already clearly stated that it has no intention of modifying Luton's appointment".
Luton will take up his post on 1 July. One of his first jobs will be to appoint a new chief executive officer to replace Francis Avanzi, the original PDG designate, who resigned his post on 23 May to be Luton's deputy before leaving the company in August.
Source: Flight Daily News