SES ASTRA Takes Full Ownership Of SES SIRIUS

5 March 2010

SES ASTRA, has taken full ownership of SES SIRIUS AB by acquiring the remaining 10 percent of the shares from the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC). The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

SES became a shareholder in SES SIRIUS in October 2000 with a stake of 50 percent. In the course of the last decade, SES ASTRA has gradually increased its stake in the company to 90 percent in 2008. SES SIRIUS operates the leading satellite system in the Nordic and Baltic countries with a strong market position in Central and Eastern Europe. It has offices in Sweden, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine and Romania. The SIRIUS satellites are positioned at 5 degrees East.

Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, said: “SES SIRIUS is active in important growth markets that have been in our strategic focus for years. Therefore, we have gradually increased our stake in the company and established a strong presence in these different markets. While SES will continue to operate a Sweden-based company, the integration of the SES SIRIUS team and activities into our operations will be another important milestone in the implementation of our geographic expansion strategy."

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