Michel de Rosen took over the role of CEO of Eutelsat Communications from Giuliano Berretta in November. For most of the previous decade, he served as chairman and CEO of ViroPharma, a U.S. pharmarceutical company and since 2008 as chairman and CEO of SGD, a glass bottle manufacturer based in France.
Now de Rosen will apply his business expertise as the head of the third largest FSS operator in the world. “I believe that my record of leading international companies and talented teams can be an asset to Eutelsat. I bring experience of an industry (pharmaceutical) that is similar in some ways and different in others. The main common feature is that you work in long cycles. You have to think both in terms of mid- and long-term. If you focus only on the coming months or next year, you are dead.”
de Rosen discusses the challenges ahead and his plans with Via Satellite Associate Editor Mark Holmes.
Via Satellite: What is your vision for Eutelsat?
de Rosen: I believe that Eutelsat articulated a strong vision for its future under Giuliano’s leadership. We sit at the heart of the digital revolution, and we have multiple engines for growth. Our number one engine is, of course, video, which we think will continue to develop going forward, spurred by HD, 3-D, [video on demand] and so on. We are also convinced broadband is a growing revenue generator. Geographically, we are at the center of a world that comprises Europe, the Middle East and Africa, each region representing significant growth potential. Eutelsat’s approach has been to maximize revenue and value per transponder and to create new sources of growth by moving into frequency bands beyond the Ku-band, as exemplified by the Ka-Sat and Solaris Mobile initiatives. I believe this mix of maximizing value from existing assets and generating new growth engines can continue a track of success and value for shareholders.
Via Satellite: Is your job more difficult because you are taking over during a difficult economic period?
de Rosen: Of course there are challenges, and some clients are facing issues which we cannot ignore. However, the fundamentals of our business remain rock solid, and 90 percent of our revenues are derived from broadcast and broadband services, which are the fastest growing applications in the FSS sector. The fact that the number of HD channels broadcasting through our fleet went beyond the 100 barrier in November last year underlines real commitment by broadcasters to generate new premium content.
Even during the economic downturn there was clear evidence of new green shoots that will benefit the satellite sector. It is good news for us to hear DreamWorks, Sony, BSkyB and Intel executives get excited on the potential of 3-D for cinemas, pubs and in the home, because satellites will naturally play their role in secure and cost-effective multi-casting of content. It’s motivating for an innovative company like Eutelsat to see European rail companies, who are beginning to compete for business, invest in new passenger broadband services which use satellites for ubiquitous coverage.
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