Inmarsat Invests in UAV Growth With 2 Executive Appointments

Jon Holmes, left; and Mark ter Hove, right. Photos: Inmarsat

Inmarsat continues to refresh its senior management team with new two high-profile appointments to target the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) market. Inmarsat announced May 27 it has appointed Jon Holmes as senior director of UAV Technology and Mark ter Hove as senior manager of European Market Development. The company said Holmes and ter Hove will drive Inmarsat’s plan to be the leading connectivity partner in what it sees as a burgeoning sector.

Inmarsat cited a 2019 report by the Teal Group “World Civil Unmanned Aerial Systems 2019 Market Profile & Forecast,” which forecasts the number of UAVs flying in airspace to increase tenfold from 1.1 million to 10 million by 2027, with impacts on emergency services, disaster relief and surveillance, cargo delivery, inspection, and urban transport. Inmarsat entered the commercial UAV market in 2020.

Holmes will be responsible for creating Inmarsat’s roadmap for UAV products and services, working with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders. ter Hove will be responsible for evaluating customer and market opportunities in Europe to reinforce Inmarsat as the leading provider of connectivity products and services in the field of UAV BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations.

“Jon and Mark share a wealth of experience in aviation connectivity and are perfectly positioned to take our growing UAV business to the next level. With Jon’s technical expertise and Mark’s strategic prowess, we’re in a strong position to unlock the true potential of the commercial UAV market,” commented John Broughton, Inmarsat’s senior vice president of Aircraft Operations and Safety.

The appointment of Holmes and ter Hove follows a series of major changes at Inmarsat. Earlier this year, the company appointed ex-Nokia exec Rajeev Suri as its new CEO, replacing Rupert Pearce. In March, it appointed Barry French as its new chief marketing and communications officer and Jat Brainch was appointed as its new chief commercial and product officer.