SES hires Adel Al-Saleh as chief executive

Adel Al Saleh

Satellite operator SES has appointed Adel Al-Saleh as the company’s chief executive officer, effective from February 2024.

He takes over from interim SES CEO Ruy Pinto, who served as chief technology officer from 2019 to 2023, he will continue to head SES until January 2024, after which Pinto will remain as a member of the executive team until June 2024 and then will assume the role of strategic advisor to Al-Saleh.

Milton Torres, who succeeded Pinto as CTO on an interim basis, will remain in that role.

Al-Saleh joins SES from T-Systems International, the integrated IT services provider and subsidiary of telco Deutsche Telekom, where he currently serves as CEO and a member of the board of management at Deutsche Telekom. There he led the company’s transition to an integrated IT services and digital solutions provider while driving growth initiatives to optimise operations.

Prior to joining T-Systems in 2018, he spent nearly 20 years with the tech firm International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), in multiple senior leadership roles. In 2006, he was appointed as vice president and general manager of sales and industries at the IBM Northeast Europe Integrated operating team, where he was responsible for sales across all industries and products.

The chief has also held senior roles at IMS Health and KKR-owned Northgate Information Solutions Group.

“I am excited and honoured to be joining SES. The business is well placed for the future with world-class customer solutions, differentiated capabilities and an industry-leading financial position. I am looking forward to working with a strong team of colleagues to drive SES forward and create value in an exciting and rapidly evolving market environment,” Al-Saleh said.

Frank Esser, chairman of the SES Board of directors, added, “Adel brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm from a range of dynamic, technology-based industries and has a track record of creating value by improving competitiveness and driving efficiency wherever he has been. This makes Adel the ideal person to lead SES into the next phase of our journey and deliver success.”

He continued, “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Ruy for his continuing leadership. Ruy stepped in at a critical time and has provided the kind of leadership to allow SES to perform at a high level on behalf of our customers.”