A Transformational CTO Appointment in the European Launch Market

The Challenge:

A highly specialised and disruptive launch business was entering a critical phase of growth but lacked senior technical leadership to steer its next stage. The requirement was not simply for an experienced propulsion and launch expert, but for an individual capable of balancing deep simulation and engineering expertise with the emotional intelligence needed to lead and unify a growing technical team. The role required five days a week in the Southern Paris office, narrowing the already niche talent pool. At the same time, the business needed someone confident enough to step into a founding team environment and influence funding conversations and long term strategy.

Our Solution:

Given the technical specificity of the requirement, the search began with a detailed market mapping of propulsion and launch focused organisations across Europe. The team identified relevant businesses where comparable technologies were being developed and engaged senior engineers and programme leaders with between 10 and 15 years of experience. The right individual was unlikely to hold the CTO title previously, the brief was approached creatively, prioritising capability and leadership potential over job title alignment.

• Comprehensive mapping of European launch and propulsion organisations to identify relevant technical environments.
• Leveraged long standing industry relationships and direct headhunting to engage passive senior engineering talent.
• Assessed non traditional profiles, including programme leadership backgrounds outside satellite, to secure the strongest technical and cultural fit.

The Outcome:

The individual placed brought a programme management background combined with highly specialised propulsion expertise directly aligned to the client’s technology. The individual demonstrated proven technical leadership capability and the emotional intelligence required to guide a growing engineering function. Within eight months, the strengthened technical structure enabled the CEO to focus externally, contributing to a successful funding round that doubled investment and increased the company’s visibility across international industry events.

The hire delivered immediate technical credibility, introduced stronger internal leadership across the engineering team, and provided the strategic foundation required as the business progresses towards its first commercial launch.