Arianespace announced the promotion of Wiener Kernisan to President of its U.S. subsidiary, Arianespace, Inc., effective September 26, 2016.

In this new capacity, Mr. Kernisan will guide Arianespace's customer, industry and governmental relations for this important international operation, and will also remain directly engaged in sales activities across the U.S. and Canada, which is an extremely significant market for launch services.

Established in 1982, Arianespace's Washington, D.C. operation is a key part in the company's network of offices across the globe. Nearly one-fourth of the launch services contracts Arianespace has signed since its creation in 1980 are with U.S. customers, and over half involve U.S.-built spacecraft.

Mr. Kernisan brings more than 35 years of experience in the commercial launch and satellite sectors to his new role. With a broad background in leadership positions at a U.S. spacecraft manufacturer and a European satellite operator, he came to Arianespace, Inc. as its Vice President, Sales and Marketing in 2000.

Before joining Arianespace, Mr. Kernisan worked for over six years as Launch Systems and Spacecraft Systems Engineering Manager at SES in Luxembourg. Prior to SES, Mr. Kernisan worked as a spacecraft designer and Systems Engineering Manager at Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, the former Astro Space division of General Electric (previously RCA Astro Electronics) in Princeton, New Jersey.

Mr. Kernisan received a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Canada and a Bachelor of Applied Sciences and an Engineering Diploma from Ecole Polytechnique, Universite de Montreal, in Canada.

He succeeds Clayton Mowry who led the Washington office of Arianespace for 15 years and will pursue a new opportunity in the space sector.

"I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Wiener as he takes on this new portfolio for our company. The close ties he has developed with clients in North America have proven invaluable to Arianespace.

"I have every confidence that he will continue to deepen the relationships between us and our partners in the United States," said Stephane Israel, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace.

"At the same time, I wish Clay all the best in his new endeavor and thank him for his loyal and tireless service."