Inmarsat announces
appointment of Rajeev Suri as CEO
24 Feb 2021
Inmarsat announces that
Rajeev Suri, former Nokia CEO, will join the
business and assume the role of CEO and become a
director of Connect Bidco Limited, the holding
company for Inmarsat, from 1 March 2021. Rupert
Pearce will step down as CEO from 28 February
2021.
Rajeev’s most recent role
was President and CEO of Nokia, a position he
held for six years. Prior to that, he was the
CEO of Nokia Siemens Networks for five years, a
joint venture company that merged Nokia’s and
Siemens’ networks businesses. Since stepping
down in August 2020, Rajeev has worked in senior
advisory roles with private equity firms Warburg
Pincus and Apollo Global Management.
He has a record of
accomplishments, including moving Nokia to one
of the top two players in telecommunications
infrastructure through both M&A and organic
growth, doubling revenues to EUR 23 billion in
2019 and increasing non-IFRS operating profit
from EUR 28 million in 2009 to over EUR 2
billion in 2019 during his eleven years of
leadership. Rajeev led the consolidation of the
network infrastructure sector from ten players
to three major players in just over a decade,
leaving the overall industry much healthier.
During his time as Nokia CEO, large shareholder
returns in the form of dividends and share
buybacks of EUR 8.5 billion were made.
Rajeev most recently led
Nokia’s leadership in 5G for communication
service providers and successfully diversified
Nokia into new business areas. He established an
independent software business that became the
leading telecom software business in the world,
quadrupled the annual recurring revenue run rate
of the patent licensing business and led a new
foray into large enterprise networks with double
digit revenue growth over the last several
years. Rajeev will be based in the UK.
Andrew Sukawaty Inmarsat’s
Chairman, said: “The Board is delighted to
welcome Rajeev to Inmarsat and we look forward
to working closely with him and with the
existing Executive team. Rajeev’s experience
will support Inmarsat’s future growth and we
look forward to the business transitioning
successfully to another capable leader.”
Rajeev Suri said: “I am
very excited to join Inmarsat, and to work
closely with such skilled people, at such an
important moment for the company and the
satellite communications industry as a whole. I
have been very impressed by the capabilities and
ambitions of the company and its partner
community and wish to pay tribute to their
ethos, drive and ingenuity. Together, they have
established technology leadership in satellite
mobility, underpinned by a unique understanding
of the customer.”
Mr Sukawaty continued:
“Rupert has been with Inmarsat for 16 years and
as its CEO for just over 9 years and has led
many initiatives and accomplishments which have
laid the foundation for the future. He has been
an excellent and forward thinking leader and the
Board and I want to extend heartfelt thanks to
Rupert for his tremendous contributions to
Inmarsat. I am delighted also that Rupert will
provide advisory services to Rajeev for a
transitional period.”
Rupert Pearce said:
“Inmarsat has established itself as world leader
in space technology and I feel privileged to
have worked with such a dedicated and talented
group of people during my time at the company.I wish Rajeev and the company the very
best for the exciting future ahead.”