Inmarsat appointed satellite telecom industry veteran David Helfgott as president and chief executive of Inmarsat Government U.S., a subsidiary created as part of a wider company reorganization, the London-based mobile satellite services operator announced May 22.
Helfgott started his new job May 14. Inmarsat Government U.S. is one of four divisions within the Inmarsat Solutions business created in the Jan. 1 reorganization.
Helfgott said in a May 22 interview that his two initial goals are to complete the reorganization and to prepare for Global Xpress, a $1.2 billion Inmarsat investment featuring three large Boeing-built Ka-band satellites scheduled for launch in 2013 and 2014.
Helfgott joined Inmarsat in April 2011. He previously held several senior positions in the satellite industry including president and chief executive of satellite operator SES’s government business.
Helfgott replaces Mike Wheeler, who had held the job since January as part of the reorganization. Wheeler has moved on to pursue “other opportunities,” Lisa Koppel, who handles media relations for Inmarsat, said via email.
