Matthew Desch has been named chairman and CEO of Bethesda, Md.-based Iridium Satellite LLC , the company announced Sept. 21.

Desch will replace Dan Colussy as CEO of Iridium Satellite and become CEO of Iridium Holdings, its parent company. Colussy will remain chairman of Iridium Holdings.

Desch most recently served as CEO of New Jersey-based Telcordia Technologies, a supplier of telecommunications software and services, which he helped move into new wireless and international markets and spin off to private equity from SAIC Inc.