The Diplomat
The astronaut and former Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque, is the candidate chosen by the Government to chair the satellite company Hispasat and his name will be put on the table at tomorrow’s shareholders’ meeting to take over from Jordi Hereu, who left the post after being appointed Minister of Industry and Tourism last November.
As reported by the newspaper El País and confirmed by Europa Press from government sources, it will be the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI) that will propose Pedro Duque, who is based in Jávea (Alicante), to chair Hispasat.
The decision will have to be ratified at an extraordinary general shareholders’ meeting, which will also be held this Tuesday.
Industry sources also told Europa Press that today’s shareholders’ meeting is also expected to elect the person who will occupy the position of director vacant after the death last August of Constantino Méndez, “a much-loved person in the sector”.
Pedro Duque held the Science portfolio since 2018, first in the PSOE’s solo Executive, and from 2019 with the coalition Cabinet until 2021, when he was replaced by Diana Morant.
Duque was previously known for being the first Spanish astronaut to travel into space, as part of an expedition to the International Space Station of the European Space Agency.
