Kokorich Mikhail Valeryevich

Kokorich Mikhail Valeryevich

Biography

2021: Dismissal as CEO of Momentum Space

At the end of January 2021, the American space company Momentum Space announced the resignation of its founder Mikhail Kokorich from the post of general director. The ex-head of Technosila was forced to be fired because of his legal status in the United States.

According to Quartz, access to dual-use space technologies (can be used in both the civilian and military spheres) was closed to Kokorich due to American laws interpreting persons with Russian citizenship as "geopolitical rivals." The ban on such technologies in the United States could interfere with the planned placement of Momentum Space shares on the Nasdaq exchange.

We believe that such a change in leadership will ensure the company's success and help accelerate regulatory checks by the US government, "said Stable Road Chairman and CEO (Momentum Space partner for the upcoming listing, scheduled for early 2021) Brian Cabot.

The company's board of directors noted that Momentum and Stable Road are "fully committed to working with the US government in connection with any regulatory checks"

Instead of Mikhail Kokorich, Don Harms, the head of revenue at the company, who previously worked at Boeing as vice president for satellite divisions, was appointed acting general director of Momentum Space. At the same time, the ex-head of the Space Development Agency Fred Kennedy, who holds the post of president of the company, remained in his position.

Earlier, the US authorities had already forced Kokorich to give up ownership of the Astro Digital space company - it also did not pass a foreign influence test due to Kokorich's Russian citizenship and his access to satellite technologies.^[1]

2022: New space startup with ex-CIO Sberbank David Rafalovsky and former Vodafone CEO Luis Jimenez Tunion

As TAdviser, the former executive vice president, chief technology officer, head of the technology block Sberbank David Rafalovsky , found out in the summer of 2022, was appointed president of a space startup Rovial based in. According to Paris open data from the National Register of Trading Companies and Joint Stock Companies (France Registry National du Commerce et des Sociétés), Rafalovsky is also on Rovial's list of beneficiaries.

One of the co-founders of the startup is the famous Russian entrepreneur Mikhail Kokorich. Another beneficial owner of Rovial in the register as of the beginning of September 2022 is Louis Jimenez-Tunon. He is the founder and CEO of the investment company Red Queen Ventures. And in 2011-2017 Louis Jimenez Tounion was the general director of the mobile operator Vodafone. Read more here.

2023: Renunciation of Russian citizenship

In January 2024, Mikhail Kokorich announced that he had renounced Russian citizenship. The businessman explained the decision by "fundamental disagreement" with the Russian special operation in Ukraine and the policy of Russian President Vladimir Putin.^[2]

Notes