Michel de Rosen to step down as Eutelsat CEO


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Editor

| 19 October 2015





One of the pillars of the satellite industry, Eutelsat CEO Michel de Rosen has announced that he is to leave his position as of 1 March 2016.


The announcement means the end of de Rosen's reign of six years in which the satellite firm enjoyed rapid growth, significantly expanding its geographic reach. Milestones have included the launch of Europe's first full high throughput satellite, the first commercial all-electric satellite and the procurement of Eutelsat quantum, claimed to be the first software-defined satellite.

"It has been my great privilege since 2009 to serve as Eutelsat's CEO and latterly as chairman and CEO," de Rosen said. "During this period, we have consistently put innovation at the heart of our service to customers ... I take this opportunity to salute all our employees for their tremendous dedication and talent which have made possible these accomplishments. I feel this is the right time to hand over the reins."

These reins will now be held by Groupe Canal CEO Rodolphe Belmer who will join Eutelsat on 1 December 2015 as deputy CEO, alongside Michel Azibert, deputy CEO and chief commercial and development officer.

Belmer joined Groupe Canal In 2001 where he where he was appointed as head of marketing and strategy in 2002. From 2003 onwards he oversaw the editorial division of the group, initially as CEO of Canal+, and from 2006 onwards, as head of all the pay-TV channels. He led the diversification of the Group into free-to-air television in 2011, through the acquisition and re-launch of D8 and D17. Since 2012, he has focused on overhauling both the commercial and technological models of the company to enable it to rise to the challenge of OTT.

Commenting on his new role, he said: "I am honoured to join Eutelsat, one of Europe's leading technology companies, at a particularly exciting moment in its development. The ongoing transformation of the content distribution market and the increasing importance of broadband connectivity offer tremendous sources of growth in our sector. I relish the prospect of guiding Eutelsat in this evolving landscape, and am committed to steering the company as it embraces these new horizons."