Amazon taps Alexa finance chief Mike Recupero as first VP of finance for Leo satellite business

Amazon's satellite business, Leo, has appointed its first dedicated vice president of finance—a clear signal that the company is evolving the venture into a more independent operation.

Mike Recupero, who most recently served as Alexa's finance chief, was named Leo's VP of finance earlier this month, according to sources familiar with the move. The newly created role makes him the first executive solely responsible for overseeing Leo's financial operations.

Background and Experience

Recupero previously spent about a year as GameStop's CFO, and before that served as finance chief for several Amazon businesses, including Prime Video and North America retail.

Until now, Leo's finances were managed by executives who also oversaw Alexa, supported by more junior finance leaders.

Building a Leadership Team

The appointment reflects Amazon's broader effort to assemble a seasoned leadership team around Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper. Over the past two years, the company has also recruited:

• Chris Weber — former GitLab chief revenue officer, as vice president of sales and marketing
• Clint Patterson — former T-Mobile executive, as chief marketing officer

VP of technology Rajeev Badyal leads the overall Leo business and reports to Panos Panay, SVP of devices, Alexa, and Leo.

Recupero's Responsibilities

Recupero will primarily oversee Leo's multibillion-dollar infrastructure buildout, including satellite manufacturing and launches, as well as the integration of Globalstar—the satellite communications company Amazon is acquiring for $11.6 billion.

Amit Singh has replaced Recupero as Alexa's finance lead.

Leo's Growth and Market Outlook

Leo is one of Amazon's largest long-term bets beyond its core retail and cloud businesses. CEO Andy Jassy previously stated that Leo already has a series of revenue commitments from enterprise and government customers and is expected to generate meaningful growth and returns for Amazon.

The company announced earlier this month that Leo has completed 14 missions and launched 396 satellites to date, making it the third-largest satellite constellation in orbit.

Wall Street is increasingly optimistic about the business. Bank of America recently estimated that Leo could generate $20 billion to $25 billion in annual revenue by 2032, and eventually be valued at $200 billion to $275 billion.

Risks Remain

Despite growing enthusiasm, risks persist. A Blue Origin rocket that Amazon plans to use for future Leo missions exploded during a ground test in June. Leo's VP Badyal sought to reassure employees at the time, stating that such setbacks are an expected part of spaceflight and that the company would continue pressing ahead.

Amazon declined to comment.