SES has completed its acquisition of Intelsat, forming a stronger global satellite operator with a combined fleet of 120 satellites and expanded capabilities across geostationary, medium earth, and strategic low earth orbits.
This deal positions SES as a leading provider of integrated multi-orbit, multi-band connectivity solutions to high-growth sectors such as government, aviation, maritime, and media, now accounting for around 60 percent of the company’s revenue.
SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh said: “In this new chapter, we are bringing together a powerful mix of talented people, network infrastructure, spectrum, innovation, and global relationships that will allow us to deliver next-generation connectivity and space-enabled services in smarter and quicker ways.”
The acquisition enhances SES’s network with approximately 90 GEO and nearly 30 MEO satellites, access to LEO assets, and extensive ground infrastructure, enabling the delivery of tailored, high-performance services.
The deal also significantly strengthens SES’s financial foundation, with pro forma revenue of €3.7 billion and adjusted EBITDA of €1.8 billion projected to grow steadily through 2028. With a contract backlog exceeding €8 billion, SES gains strong visibility into future earnings.
Strategically, SES plans to invest €600–€650 million annually from 2025–2028 (excluding the EU’s IRIS2 programme) to strengthen its network and explore emerging technologies including IoT, direct-to-device, inter-satellite relay, space situational awareness, and quantum key distribution.
SES is also targeting €1 billion in free cash flow by 2027–2028 and plans to increase its dividend once leverage falls below 3x, expected within 12–18 months.
The company anticipates €2.4 billion in net present value from synergies, primarily through operational streamlining, cost optimisation, and asset integration, with 70 percent of efficiencies to be realised within three years. SES remains headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on the Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges, while maintaining a strong U.S. presence.
SES leadership team
Adel Al‑Saleh serves as Chief Executive Officer, supported by Ruy Pinto as Strategic Advisor to the CEO. Nadine Allen leads as Global Head of Enterprise & Cloud, while Dr Xavier Bertrán is Chief Product & Innovation Officer. David Fields heads the Space & Defense division. John‑Paul Hemingway is Chief Commercial Officer and Veronika Ivanovic holds the role of Chief People Officer. Sandeep Jalan is the outgoing Chief Financial Officer, and Elisabeth A. Pataki (Lisa) also occupies the CFO position.
Fabien Loeffler oversees transformation as Chief Transformation Officer. Simon Maher leads maritime operations globally, Deepak Mathur heads media worldwide, and Greg Orton is Chief M&A and Development Officer. Thai Rubin serves as Chief Legal Officer, Andrew Ruszkowski heads aviation services globally, Nihar Shah is Chief Strategy Officer, and Milton Torres fills the role of Chief Technology Officer
TelecomLead.com News Desk
