Maine out at Solaris Mobile
December 22, 2011
By Chris Forrester
Matt Child is Solaris Mobile’s new CEO replacing Steve Maine who has left “to pursue other professional interests”.
Dublin-based Solaris Mobile is the Eutelsat/SES joint-venture set up in 2006 to develop next-generation mobile communication services. Designed initially as a satellite and terrestrial platform in support of DVB-H and S-band transmissions to cellular and handheld devices, the company has struggled to make headway. A deal was struck with Italy’s Class Editori earlier in 2011 which will see services come to air in 2012. Other deals are in place, notably the EUR-Radio scheme which promises the Europe-wide deployment of radio channels.
Child joined Solaris Mobile as CCO in 2008 and has worked closely on commercial, regulatory and strategic aspects of the company’s development with Steve Maine and the company’s shareholders, Eutelsat and SES.
Steve Maine said it had been a privilege to lead Solaris Mobile through a period which has set landmarks that include successfully securing spectrum rights covering the whole of the European Community, launching its first satellite capacity, building a network of industrial partners in key target markets and starting to gain its first customers.
In a joint statement, Michel de Rosen, CEO of Eutelsat Communications, and Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, commented: “We are grateful for Steve’s very significant contribution to the development of Solaris Mobile. The company has built solid foundations and is established on a course for the launch of a wide range of mobile broadband services in the years to come. We look forward to working with Matt and the Solaris Mobile team on the next phase of its development.”