SWISSto12 makes trio of new hires
May 28, 2026
By Nik Roseveare
SWISSto12, the Swiss aerospace and telecommunications company, has announced a trio of new appointments to support the its next phase of global expansion.
Mike Kaliski will assume the role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), transitioning from his position as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for HummingSat. He brings more than 30 years of experience working with geostationary (GEO) satellite manufacturers. As CCO, he will lead global commercial activities, strengthening customer engagement and momentum in both HummingSat and advanced payload solutions. Since launching the HummingSat programme in 2020, Kaliski has developed a high-performing team of technical, operational, and support staff. As the company enters this next phase of growth, SWISSto12 will soon appoint a corporate Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead the expanding engineering function.
SWISSto12 has also hired José Toscano and Richard Franklin, with a mandate to deepen government affairs and partner relationships.
Toscano is a senior telecommunications and regulatory affairs leader. A founding Commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission, he has served as Director General of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (ITSO) and as Managing Director for Government Affairs at Intelsat.
Franklin is a senior government space industry advisor with an international telecommunications background. He has served as UK Managing Director for Airbus Defence and Space and led its secure communications services business.
“Mike’s appointment as Chief Commercial Officer reflects the strong global demand we’re seeing across both our satellite platforms and payload solutions,” commented Emile de Rijk, CEO of SWISSto12. “Alongside him, José and Richard bring deep expertise in government and sovereign markets. This will be key as we continue to extend SWISSto12 capabilities into European and other sovereign markets and deepen cooperation with international financial institutions (IFIs) and intergovernmental bodies, such as the International Telecommunication Union.”
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