Executive Team

Peter Beck, CEO/Founder
Peter is an award winning scientist and engineer having been presented with the Meritorious Medal from the Royal Aeronautical Society for service of an exceptional nature leading to major advances in New Zealand aviation and the Cooper Medal – presented by the Royal Society bi-annually to those deemed to have published the best single account of research in physics and engineering. Following almost a decade and a half of propulsion research, market development and networking within the international space community Peter founded Rocket Lab Ltd in 2006.

Ralph Shale, CFO

Ralph joined Rocket Lab in July 2011 having previously worked for the company in a consulting role since 2009 while with I Grow New Zealand Limited.  Ralph has been a Director of I Grow for 11 years where he works with New Zealand’s leading start-up businesses, assisting with funding and international commercialisation activities.  Prior to this Ralph has held Senior Executive positions with ANZ Banking Group, Bankers Trust, Carter Holt Harvey and DB Group.   Ralph has an MBA from London Business School and a BCom from Auckland University.

Advisory board:

General (Ret) Lance W. Lord

General (Ret.) Lance Lord served as Commander of Air Force Space Command at the Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado where he oversaw a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and launch facilities, and ensured the combat readiness of America’s intercontinental ballistic missile force. The recipient of several prestigious military decorations throughout his career - including the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal - General Lord entered the Air Force in 1969 and retired in 2006.