SES names new chairman as Bausch steps down

Satellite operator SES has named Frank Esser as chairman, replacing the company’s one-time CEO Romain Bausch.

Bausch, chairman of the SES Board and former President and CEO, told shareholders that he would not seek a new mandate as chairman, but will remain on the Board as an independent director.

In its meeting following the AGM, the board elected Esser as Chairperson of the Board for a period of one year and re-elected both Tsega Gebreyes and Anne-Catherine Ries as vice-chairpersons of the board, also for a period of one year.

Shareholders also approved a reduction in Board size from 14 to 12 directors.

The shareholders meeting elected Béatrice de Clermont-Tonnerre and Peter van Bommel to the board for an initial two-year mandate and elected Paul Konsbruck and Frank Esser for another three-year mandate. They also re-elected Ramu Potarazu, Kaj-Erik Relander and Ries for three years.

Victor Casier, Hadelin de Liedekerke Beaufort, Marc Serres and François Tesch resigned as directors of SES.

The current composition of the board means that A-shareholders are represented by independent directors Bausch, De Clermont-Tonnerre, Esser, Gebreyes, Potarazu, Relander, Van Bommel and Katrin Wehr-Seiter, while B-shareholders are represented by Serge Allegrezza, Paul Konsbruck, Ries and Françoise Thoma.

“Having been at the helm of the company for 25 years, firstly as CEO and latterly as chairman and with the company now entering an exciting period of transformation under Steve Collar’s leadership and with a newly invigorated and streamlined board, I consider it to be the right time to pass the baton to a new chair in the renewed board. It has been a true privilege to serve SES in these different roles and I want to thank our shareholders for their continued support,” said Bausch.

“I am honoured to be elected Chairperson at this important and exciting time for our company with SES being in a great position for further development,” said Esser.

“I am delighted to be joining the board with several new directors who will each bring strong competencies, complementing those of the rest of our Board colleagues. I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Romain and his contribution, commitment and on-going service to SES with his continued presence as a director.”