Virgin Galactic, Preparing for Liftoff, Appoints New Top Lawyer

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc., a industrial spaceflight business backed by billionaire Richard Branson, has named Sarah Kim its chief legal officer and corporate secretary.

Kim, who has been typical counsel for the recently-merged Topgolf Callaway Manufacturers Inc., will choose on all those roles as of Dec. 5, Virgin Galactic announced this 7 days. She succeeds former lawful chief Michelle Kley, who left Virgin Galactic in July.

“As an individual who has a lifelong interest in the sciences and space, I can not wait around to assistance participate in a position in the future of this transformative and promptly increasing business,” Kim reported in a statement.

The spaceflight marketplace, whose main players include Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin LLC and Elon Musk’s Area Exploration Systems Corp., has been selecting in-property legal professionals to address legal and regulatory troubles.

Tustin, Calif.-dependent Virgin Galactic reported previously this month that it expects to get started business spaceflights by the 2nd quarter of 2023, getting previously delayed tests and a program to carry its founder Branson into orbit.

Branson ultimately blasted off in July 2021 but the company’s share cost fell adhering to its most current flight postponement in August.

Virgin Galactic faces shareholder litigation more than a merger with a particular objective acquisition business that took it community three many years ago. Roughly a quarter of Branson’s believed $5.2 billion fortune is invested in providers that went public applying these motor vehicles, according to Bloomberg News.

Topgolf Callaway, where Kim labored just before signing up for Virgin Galactic, was fashioned previous yr soon after predecessor Callaway Golf Co. agreed to pay $2 billion to receive the relaxation of what it did not presently very own in Topgolf Intercontinental Inc.

Brian Lynch, Topgolf Callaway’s chief financial officer and a previous standard counsel at Callaway Golf, also now serves as the mixed company’s chief legal officer, in accordance to its executive management webpage.

A securities filing by Callaway Golf previously this calendar year unveiled that Lynch obtained a $4 million bonus for his operate helping the Carlsbad, Calif.-based mostly enterprise full its obtain of Topgolf. Callaway Golfing put Lynch’s total payment at just about $8.4 million throughout fiscal 2021, in accordance to a proxy statement.

Topgolf’s previous best law firm remaining the firm ahead of that deal in mid-2020.

Callaway Golfing hired Kim in 2019 following she expended two decades at what is now Petco Overall health and Wellness Co. The former DLA Piper associate was also Callaway Golf’s chief ethics and compliance officer and company secretary.

Topgolf Callaway and Lynch didn’t answer to requests for comment.