Dave Limp to take over as Blue Origin CEO, replacing Bob Smith

Blue Origin’s Bob Smith retires after four years of leading the company.

Blue Origin gets a new CEO: Dave Limp, the man behind Alexa, Echo, and Ring. (Image: LinkedIn)

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Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin will have a new CEO starting next month, according to notes to staff written by Smith and Bezos that were obtained by CNBC. Dave Limp, who has been leading Amazon’s devices and services division for more than a decade, will replace Bob Smith, who is retiring after four years at the helm of Blue Origin.

Limp will join Blue Origin at a critical time, as the company is working on several ambitious projects to launch rockets, engines, and spacecraft for both commercial and government customers. Blue Origin is also competing with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic in the emerging space tourism market.

Limp’s departure from Amazon came as a surprise last month, as he was one of the most senior and influential executives at the e-commerce giant. He oversaw the development and launch of popular products such as Alexa, Echo, and Ring, as well as some of Amazon’s more experimental ventures like Zoox autonomous vehicles, and the Project Kuiper internet satellite business.

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Amazon has not announced a replacement for Limp yet, but Bloomberg and other outlets have reported that the company is expected to hire Microsoft product chief Panos Panay.

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Smith’s tenure at Blue Origin was marked by both achievements and challenges. He joined the company in 2017 after 13 years at aerospace conglomerate Honeywell. Under his leadership, Blue Origin expanded its infrastructure across the US, adding facilities in Alabama, Florida, California, Arizona, and Colorado.

Perhaps the biggest achievement under his leadership was when Blue Origin achieved a historic milestone in July 2021, when Bezos and his crewmates soared to the edge of space and back on board the New Shepard rocket. However, Smith’s tenure was also plagued by delays and setbacks in Blue Origin’s major programs. Its flagship New Glenn rocket and its BE-4 engines, which are also crucial for the Vulcan vehicle of its rival United Launch Alliance, have fallen behind schedule by years.

Smith will remain with Blue Origin until January 2 to help with the transition, according to the notes, while Limp will take over as Blue Origin CEO on December 4.