Blue Origin Appoints Dave Limp as New CEO, Replacing Bob Smith

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, is undergoing a leadership change. CEO Bob Smith will be replaced by outgoing Amazon executive Dave Limp. Smith is set to retire on December 4 but will remain with the company until January 2 for a smooth transition. Limp joins Blue Origin at a crucial time as the company is working on various space projects, including ramping up production of its BE-4 rocket engines, resuming flights of its space tourism rocket New Shepard, launching its next-generation New Glenn rocket, and fulfilling a recently-won NASA contract for a crewed lunar lander. Limp’s appointment has been praised by a Blue Origin spokesperson, who described him as a proven innovator with extensive experience in high-tech industries. Limp recently announced his departure from Amazon, where he oversaw the Alexa, Echo, and Ring units, as well as other experimental divisions. Blue Origin has experienced delays and setbacks under Smith’s leadership, but it has also achieved milestones such as sending Bezos to space. The company has faced allegations of a toxic workplace culture, but Smith has addressed those claims. Blue Origin has been aggressively hiring and has grown its workforce to over 10,000 employees. Bezos expressed confidence in Limp’s leadership and thanked Smith for his contributions to the company’s growth.