[Satellite News 05-24-11] MTN Satellite Communications’ new President and COO, Errol Olivier, says one of the main challenges he faces in this new role is to generate revenues in non-core markets for the company. He told Satellite News in his first interview since taking the position, “We have a lot of room to grow outside of our core business of today. I see some diversification already. MTN already has a foothold in some markets such as commercial shipping, aviation, as well as oil and gas and there are other markets that we have not concentrated on in the past.”

     Olivier has a strong background in the oil and gas sector, having previously worked for Broadpoint and Caprock Communications. While he will help the company target new markets, Olivier says the main focus will not change. “I didn’t come in here to change the focus of the company, I came here to help grow the company in regards to efficiencies and expansion of its product line outside the traditional markets it has been in. But, it is not about changing focus. We will continue to focus on the government services business, as well as the cruise, yacht and commercial businesses. The diversification is not a change in direction, but additional markets that we are looking to target,” he says.

     MTN is a global service provider of communications, connectivity and content services to remote locations around the world. It targets a number of sectors such as maritime, oil and gas, military, etc. The maritime market is one of the company’s strongest areas. It has strong customer base among cruise ship operators and works with companies such as Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines, Silversea Cruises and Princess Cruises for example. With new next generation constellations such as Iridium NEXT and Inmarsat’s Global Xpress System coming online in the near future, the services market for shipping operators is set to become much more diverse. In terms of how this could impact a company like MTN, Olivier says, “When I look at the constellations of these companies, they are not just around the corner, they are still a few years away. Our focus has traditionally been on markets where customers are in remote locations and require a lot of data and voice connectivity, and for the occasional use I think it will be a great network. It is a very interesting platform that Inmarsat has announced. That focus is going to be more on the commercial shipping.”

     Another market MTN will be targeting is the U.S. military market. In March of this year, MTN’s subsidiary, MTN Government Services (MTNGS), said it had been added to the Future Commercial Satellite Communications (COMSATCOM) Services Acquisition (FCSA) contract under the new section of the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule 70 vehicle. In term of the potential in this market, Olivier adds, “It all depends on what the government decides to do with their budgets. MTN has a strong position. The government services business is a growth business for us. There is a lot of competition out there and they have made some good strides, but MTN has a great platform that focuses on reliability for this no-fault audience.”