10 SpaceX executives
With a CFO in the job since 2011 and an SVP of HR and operations since 2014, the SpaceX executives here also include two program leaders each from Starship, Falcon and Dragon, and Starlink, plus two former senior vice presidents, one for commercial business and one for production and launch. Suppliers, launch and Starlink customers, and teams building rockets or satellites would use them to understand how SpaceX buys, sells and builds.
Professionals to explore
Bret Johnsen
LinkedInExperience: CFO · SpaceX
Bret Johnsen has been CFO of SpaceX since 2011, a C-level finance role held for 15 years, after serving as CFO at Mindspeed Technologies (2008–2011) and VP Corporate Controller at Broadcom (1999–2008), with an Auditor role at PwC (1991–1995) earlier. That tenure makes Bret Johnsen the person for questions on how SpaceX has financed and budgeted its programs.
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Brian Bjelde
LinkedInExperience: SVP, HR & Operations · SpaceX
SVP, HR & Operations at SpaceX since 2014, Brian Bjelde earlier held Senior Director, Product and Mission Management (2009–2014), Product Director, Falcon 1 Launch Vehicle (2006–2009), Mission Manager (2004–2008) and Avionics Engineer (2003–2005) roles there. Brian Bjelde credits the SVP role with reshaping HR practices for aggressive growth targets and scaling the workforce while keeping a cohesive culture, a fit for hiring and team-scaling questions.
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Chris Trautner
LinkedInExperience: VP, Falcon and Dragon Engineering · SpaceX
Chris Trautner holds VP, Falcon and Dragon Engineering (since 2025) and has also held Falcon vehicle engineering titles at SpaceX: Senior Director (2023–2025), Director (2022–2023), Senior Manager (2021–2022) and Manager (2019–2021) of Falcon Vehicle Engineering. Those Falcon Vehicle Engineering titles fit questions on how Falcon engineering is organized and how vehicle engineering changes get made.
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Joe Petrzelka
LinkedInExperience: VP, Starship Engineering · SpaceX
Joe Petrzelka's title is VP, Starship Engineering (since 2021), following Senior Director, Dragon Engineering (2019–2021), Director, Dragon Engineering (2018–2019), Senior Manager, Falcon Engineering (2017–2018) and Manager, Falcon Mechanisms (2016–2017); their LinkedIn profile says VP, Booster Engineering at SpaceX. Engineering roles across Falcon, Dragon and Starship make Joe Petrzelka a good call on how SpaceX carries design lessons between vehicles.
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Jon Edwards
LinkedInExperience: Former Senior Vice President of Falcon and Dragon · SpaceX
Since 2026, Jon Edwards has been Senior Vice President of Falcon and Dragon, overseeing design, build, test, launch operations, cost, reliability and performance for both programs, and was Vice President of Falcon Launch Vehicles (2020–2026). Earlier SpaceX roles were Senior Director of Vehicle Engineering (2016–2020), Falcon 9 Product Director (2014–2016) and Director of Stage Propulsion Systems (2013–2014).
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Jonathan Hofeller
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales · SpaceX
Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales since 2019, Jonathan Hofeller also held Vice President of Commercial Sales (Launch and Private Astronaut) (2015–2019), Director, Business Development (2013–2015) and Manager, Business Development - Middle East and Asia (2007–2013) at SpaceX, after a Senior Mechanical Engineer role at Raytheon (2004–2006). Launch, private astronaut and Starlink sales make Jonathan Hofeller the call for launch and Starlink customers.
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Lauren D.
LinkedInExperience: VP, Starlink Business Operations · SpaceX
Lauren D. describes being at SpaceX since 2006 and leading the Starlink Broadband business, with titles of VP, Starlink Business Operations (since 2023), Sr. Director, Starlink Business Operations (since 2021) and Principal Operations Engineer (since 2020). Before Starlink, Lauren D. was Sr. Director (2019–2020) and Director (2015–2019), Human Resources and Business Operations, which suits questions on how Starlink business operations are organized.
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Phil Alden
LinkedInExperience: VP, Starship Production · SpaceX
At Starbase in South Texas, Phil Alden has been VP, Starship Production since 2023, after VP of Starlink Production at SpaceX (2022–2023) and Senior Director of Production (2012–2022). Eleven years as a General Manager at BMW Group (2001–2012) sit before SpaceX, so questions on production methods across BMW Group and SpaceX's Starlink and Starship lines land well with Phil Alden.
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Tom Ochinero
LinkedInExperience: Former Senior Vice President Commercial Business · SpaceX
Tom Ochinero was Senior Vice President Commercial Business at SpaceX (2022–2024), head of all commercial launch sales, business development and international coordination, and held Vice President of Commercial Sales (2019–2024) and Senior Director of Commercial Sales (2014–2019) there. Chairman & Founding Partner at Interlagos since 2024, Tom Ochinero is a fit for questions on how launch contracts were sold and negotiated.
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Zachary Dunn
LinkedInExperience: Former Sr. Vice President of Production and Launch · SpaceX
Former Sr. Vice President of Production and Launch at SpaceX (2018–2020) and Vice President of Launch there (2016–2018), Zachary Dunn has been Chief Operating Officer at Relativity Space since 2023, after Senior Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing (2020–2023) and Vice President of Factory Development (2020) at Relativity. That pairing suits questions comparing production and launch operations at SpaceX and Relativity Space.
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Choose the right perspective
Supplier and cost questions sit best with the program leaders: Jon Edwards or Chris Trautner for Falcon and Dragon, Joe Petrzelka or Phil Alden for Starship engineering and production. Launch and Starlink customers should talk to Jonathan Hofeller, Lauren D. or Tom Ochinero, who headed commercial launch sales until 2024; Bret Johnsen and Brian Bjelde cover finance, HR and operations, and Zachary Dunn can compare SpaceX's production and launch setup with Relativity Space's.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What does SpaceX expect from an outside supplier on cost and lead time before it buys a part rather than building it in-house?
- 02How are commercial launch and Starlink deals priced and approved, and how much room does a sales lead have to negotiate?
- 03How does SpaceX take a vehicle program like Starship from engineering to a production rate, and which calls stay with the program vice president?
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.