Board of Directors

Mr. René Steichen (Chairman of the Board)

Born November 27, 1942, Mr Steichen became a director on June 1, 1995. He was elected Chairman on April 15, 1996. Prior to that time, he was a member of the Luxembourg government (1984–1993) and member of the European Commission (1993– 1995). He is currently an attorney at law in Luxembourg. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of SES ASTRA, SES ASTRA Services Europe, the Special Shareholder Committee of SES WORLD SKIES, Dexia-Banque Internationale à Luxembourg, CLT Group and Luxempart. Mr Steichen studied law and political science in Aix-en-Provence and Paris. He holds a doctorate in law and also earned the final degree in economics and finance from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques of Paris. Mr Steichen is the Chairman of the Board as well as of the company’s Nomination and Remuneration Committees. Mr Steichen is not an independent director because he represents an important shareholder.

Mr. Marcus Bicknell

Born February 28, 1948, Mr Bicknell was appointed to the Board of Directors of SES on May 6, 2005. Mr Bicknell is a director of New Media Foundry Ltd and RainWater Harvesting Ltd, non-listed companies in the United Kingdom, and a board member of the U.K. chapter of the Society of Satellite Professionals International. From 1986 to 1990 he was Commercial Director of Société Européenne des Satellites. Mr Bicknell holds an MA Honours Degree in Physical Anthropology from Cambridge University. Mr Bicknell is a member of both the Remuneration and the Nomination Committees. Mr Bicknell is an independent director.

Mrs. Bridget Cosgrave

Born July 1, 1961, Ms Cosgrave became a director on April 3, 2008. She is the Director General of Digital Europe as well as a director of Essilor International S.A., which is listed on the Euronext Paris. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of SES ASTRA, SES ASTRA Services Europe and the Special Shareholder Committee of SES WORLD SKIES. Ms Cosgrave was with Belgacom S.A. from 2001-2007 as a member of the Executive Committee. Her roles included Executive Vice President of the Enterprise division, Chairman of the International Carrier Services division, and board member of Belgacom Mobile (Proximus) and Telindus Group. Ms Cosgrave holds an MBA from London Business School and a BA (Hons) in Economics & History from Queen’s University in Canada. Ms Cosgrave is an independent director.

Mr. Hadelin de Liedekerke Beaufort

Born April 29, 1955, Mr de Liedekerke Beaufort became a director on April 17, 2000. He is currently a director of Santander Telecommunications, a privately held company, as well as a director of other private companies with interests in various fields such as financial, communication and real estate developments. Mr de Liedekerke Beaufort graduated from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. Mr de Liedekerke Beaufort is a member of both the Remuneration and the Nomination Committees of SES. Mr de Liedekerke Beaufort is an independent director.

Mr. Jacques Espinasse

Born May 12, 1943, Mr Espinasse has been appointed a director of SES by the annual general meeting of May 6, 2005. In May 2007, after five years of duty, he retired as a member of the Management Board and Chief Financial Officer of Vivendi Universal. Mr Espinasse is the former Chief Operations Officer of TPS. He is a member of the Supervisory Boards of Maroc Telecom, LBPAM, Axa Belgium, Axa Holdings Belgium and Hammerson Plc and holds a BBA and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Mr Espinasse is a member of the Audit Committee, the Remuneration Committee and the Nomination Committee. Mr Espinasse is an independent director.

Mr. Jean-Claude Finck

Born January 22, 1956, Mr Finck became a director on May 31, 2001. Mr Finck is Chief Executive Officer of Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat, a member of the Boards of Directors of Bourse de Luxembourg, Luxair, Cargolux, insurance companies La Luxembourgeoise, La Luxembourgeoise Vie, Paul Wurth and of Compagnie de Banque Privée. Mr Finck graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Aix/Marseille. Mr Finck is a member of the Audit Committee of SES. Mr Finck is not an independent director because he represents an important shareholder.

Mr. Gaston Reinesch

Born May 17, 1958, Mr Reinesch became a director on July 1, 1998. Mr Reinesch is invited Professor at the University of Luxembourg. He is Chairman of the Société Nationale de Crédit et d’Investissement, and of the Board of Directors of Entreprise des Postes et Télécommunications and of BGL BNP Paribas. He is also, among others, a member of the Board of Directors of Cegedel and the European Investment Bank. Mr Reinesch is General Administrator of the Ministry of Finance, Luxembourg, and graduated with a Master of Science in economics from the London School of Economics. Mr Reinesch is a member of the Remuneration Committee and of the Audit Committee of SES. Mr Reinesch is not an independent director because he represents an important shareholder.

Mr. Victor Rod

Born April 26, 1950, Mr Rod became a director on November 23, 1995. He is President of Commissariat aux Assurances and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat, Luxembourg. Mr Rod graduated with a degree in law from the University of Nancy. Mr Rod is not an independent director because he represents an important shareholder.

Mr. Robert W. Ross

Born January 8, 1941, Mr Ross became a director of SES on June 28, 2007. He has had a long career in the field of media and telecommunications in which he has held senior executive and director positions. He retired as CEO of New Skies in January 2002 but continued to serve as advisor to the company until July 2004. He is a member of the Special Shareholder Committee of SES WORLD SKIES. Mr Ross graduated from Brown University and holds MA and JD degrees from Boston University in the United States. Mr Ross is an independent director.

Mr. Luis Sanchez-Merlo

Born October 10, 1947, Mr Sanchez-Merlo became a director on April 17, 2000. Mr Sanchez-Merlo is the Chairman of the Board of ASTRA Iberica S.A. and Lantana Capital S.A., as well as a member of the board of Abantia SA. Mr Sanchez-Merlo graduated with a degree in law and economics from the Universidad Comercial de Deusto. He also holds a Master’s in law from the College of Europe and a Master’s in economics from the University of Louvain. Mr Sanchez-Merlo is not an independent director because he has a material relationship with the company.

Mr. Christian Schaack

Born March 21, 1958, Mr Schaack became a director on December 7, 2000. Mr Schaack is Managing Director of BGL. He sits on the Board of Directors of BIP Investment Partners and Fortis Bank Turkey. Mr Schaack graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a PhD in Operations Research and an SM in Management. He holds an Engineering degree from Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. Mr Schaack is an independent director.

Mr. Georges Schmit

Resigned effective December 31, 2009. A successor will be co-opted by the Board at its next meeting.

Mr. Terry Seddon

Born February 14, 1941, Mr Seddon joined the Board of Directors of SES in 2005. He is a member of the Special Shareholder Committee of SES WORLD SKIES. He has had a long international career in the field of telecommunications, in which he held several senior executive and director positions. He was Chairman of New Skies Satellites Ltd and was the founding CEO of AsiaSat. He has also held several non-executive directorships of U.K. manufacturing and operating companies. Mr Seddon graduated from Blackburn Polytechnic and Leeds University of the U.K. Mr Seddon is a member of the Audit Committee, the Remuneration Committee and the Nomination Committee. Mr Seddon is an independent director. 

Mr. Marc Speeckaert

Born May 23, 1951, Mr Speeckaert is the General Manager of Sofina S.A. and a director of several non-listed corporations as well as of Rapala which is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange and of Carbone Lorraine, listed on Euronext Paris. Mr Speeckaert graduated with a degree in Applied Economics and holds a Master in Business and Administration from the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL). He also holds an Advanced Management Program from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania (USA). Mr Speeckaert is the Chairman of the Audit Committee. Mr Speeckaert is an independent director.

Mr. Gerd Tenzer

Born August 4, 1943, Mr Tenzer became a director on March 11, 1999, and was Vice Chairman from May 2002 until April 2006. From January 1990 to November 2002, Mr Tenzer was a member of the Board of Management of Deutsche Telekom AG where he was responsible for networks, purchasing, environmental protection, wholesale services for carriers, broadband cable and broadcasting services. He was special adviser to the CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG from December 2002 until December 2004. He also sits on the Board of SES ASTRA and of SES ASTRA Services Europe in Luxembourg. He is Chairman of the Advisory Board of Sutter Verzeichnisverlag GmbH&Co.KG in Germany and member of the Board of Transmode Holding AB in Stockholm. Mr Tenzer graduated with a degree in Communications Engineering (Dipl. Ing.) from the Technical University in Aachen. Mr Tenzer is an independent director.