Maxar board names Estes chair as U.S. domestication proceeds

Maxar Technologies said Thursday its board of directors has elected retired Air Force Gen. Howell Estes as chairman with his term to take effect Jan. 1, 2019.

Estes joined the board upon Maxar’s acquisition of DigitalGlobe last year and succeeds Robert Phillips, who will continue as a member.

This move comes as Maxar completes its U.S. domestication process, given the space company’s former identity as Canada-based MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates. The process traces back to Maxar’s U.S. Access Plan, from which the company has sought to gain more eligibility for classified space contracts.

Maxar relocated its corporate headquarters earlier this year to Westminster, Colorado from San Francisco. As MDA, the headquarters were in the Vancouver metropolitan region.

The U.S. domestication is anticipated to complete on or about Jan. 1, 2019, Maxar said.