General Atomics

Andrew Cawthorne appointed as Managing Director of SSTL

Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) has today announced that SSTL shareholder Airbus Defence & Space have appointed Andrew Cawthorne in his position as Managing Director, effective immediately.



Image courtesy SSTL

Andrew Cawthorne (above) steps into this role with extensive experience and a proven track record in driving business growth and operational excellence.

Sir Martin Sweeting, Chairman of SSTL, said: “On behalf of the entire team here at SSTL, I am pleased to congratulate Andrew on his well-deserved appointment as Managing Director. His exceptional leadership skills, strategic acumen, and deep understanding of our industry make him the ideal person to guide SSTL through its next phase of innovation and growth. We are confident Andrew will continue to strengthen SSTL’s position as a global leader in satellite technology.”

Andrew Cawthorne said: “I am deeply honoured to be appointed Managing Director of SSTL, a company renowned for its pioneering achievements in satellite technology and one that I have been proud to have been a part of for over 20 years.

"I am committed to working closely with our talented team to build on SSTL’s proud heritage, deliver outstanding results for our customers and drive forward innovation and sustainability in satellite missions and space exploration.”



Above: (left to right) Sir Martin Sweeting, SSTL Executive Chairman, Alain Faure, Head of Space Systems, Airbus, Andrew Cawthorne – SSTL Managing Director and Mikaël Butterbach – SVP HR Airbus Space Systems, at SSTL, Guildford, Surrey.
Courtesy SSTL


Andrew Cawthorne brings over two decades expertise in the space and technology sectors. Joining SSTL in 2004 Andrew initially worked as a Systems Engineer on the TopSat Imaging Project and as Technical Mission Lead for NigeriaSat-2. Andrew has since held several key commercial and leadership positions, most recently as Director of Business Development reporting into Managing Director, Phil Brownnett. When SSTL tragically lost Phil in June 2024 to a sudden illness, Andrew was appointed as Interim Managing Director.

Related

Volklec: £600 million investment in green flight must be supported by UK-first battery supply chains
Headshot for Johan Andersson CEO of volklec
Volklec: £600 million investment in green flight must be supported by UK-first battery supply chains
Following the government’s announcement of a £600 million package for UK aerospace, Volklec chief commercial officer Johan Andersson explains why investment in green flight must be underpinned by a stable domestic supply of critical components.
Aerospace Insights

13 Sep 2026

Regional airports come top in best and worst UK airport rankings
Aircraft landing at Heathrow Airport
Regional airports come top in best and worst UK airport rankings
New Which? rankings reveal regional airports are delivering the best passenger experience while some of the UK's largest aviation gateways lost marks due to queues and customer satisfaction.
Aerospace

13 Sep 2026

Velocity Composites appoints Matthew Fowler as CFO
Matthew Fowler, New CFO of Velocity Composites plc
Velocity Composites appoints Matthew Fowler as CFO
As international aerospace and defence market opportunities increase, Matthew Fowler will support Velocity Composites' drive to assist aerospace manufacturers in improving efficiencies and optimising the supply of advanced composite materials across the production process.
Velocity Composites appoints Matthew Fowler as CFO
Matthew Fowler, New CFO of Velocity Composites plc
Velocity Composites appoints Matthew Fowler as CFO
As international aerospace and defence market opportunities increase, Matthew Fowler will support Velocity Composites' drive to assist aerospace manufacturers in improving efficiencies and optimising the supply of advanced composite materials across the production process.
Royal Navy spends more than £123,000 on content creators
XC Excalibur uncrewed submarine for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy spends more than £123,000 on content creators
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the spend as it looks to reach new audiences and support recruitment.
Defence

11 Sep 2026

US private equity group agrees £1.1bn takeover of key UK defence supplier
Self sheilded storage box for contaminated nuclear waste
US private equity group agrees £1.1bn takeover of key UK defence supplier
Cerberus Capital Management has agreed a £1.1bn acquisition of Goodwin engineering businesses tied to sensitive UK defence, nuclear and naval supply chains.
Defence

11 Sep 2026

Skyrora completes hot-fire testing of advanced LEO engine
Skyrora engine test
Skyrora completes hot-fire testing of advanced LEO engine
Skyrora has conducted hot fire testing of its LEO engine at its Midlothian facility in Loanhead, demonstrating the potential of stronger, lightweight parts for future propulsion systems.
Member News Space

11 Sep 2026

UK spends nearly £30m on SpaceX satellite services as military shifts to Starshield
Starlink already offers unparalleled end-to-end user data encryption. Starshield uses additional high-assurance cryptographic capability to host classified payloads and process data securely, meeting the most demanding government requirements.
UK spends nearly £30m on SpaceX satellite services as military shifts to Starshield
The UK military operates around 1,000 SpaceX Starshield terminals after spending nearly £30m on Starshield and Starlink satellite communications.
Defence Space

11 Sep 2026

NewOrbit gains launch slot for first VLEO commercial mission
NEO1
NewOrbit gains launch slot for first VLEO commercial mission
Reading-based NewOrbit will conduct the first commercial mission on which any payload developer can fly, test and validate technology in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), approximately 200-300km above the Earth.
Space

10 Sep 2026

Three government hacks in one week: Has Whitehall learnt its lesson?
Headshot for Trevor Dearing Director of Critical Infrastructure at Illumio
Three government hacks in one week: Has Whitehall learnt its lesson?
Trevor Dearing, Director of Critical Infrastructure at Illumio, argues that three government breaches in one week show why Whitehall must focus less on keeping attackers out and more on limiting the damage once they are inside.
Insights Security

12 Sep 2026

Lindy Cameron appointed as first female FCDO Permanent Under-Secretary
Lindy Cameron appointed as first female FCDO Permanent Under-Secretary
With vast experience across national security, diplomacy and development, Lindy Cameron has become the first female Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Security

12 Sep 2026

MI5 chief warns next major threat may come from where the UK is not looking
MI5 Director General Ken McCallum
MI5 chief warns next major threat may come from where the UK is not looking
MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum says the next major security shock may already be developing where intelligence agencies are not looking, 25 years after 9/11.
Security

11 Sep 2026