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Intelsat gets new executive team on board post PanAmSat acquisition
MUMBAI: Post the acquisition of PanAmSat Holding Corporation, Intelsat, Ltd has brought on a new executive team.
At the time that the acquisition was announced, in August 2005, the companies stated that Intelsat CEO David McGlade would be the CEO of the company, and that PanAmSat CEO Joe Wright would be chairman of Intelsat’s board, after the transaction closes.
McGlade said today that he intends to appoint PanAmSat COO James Frownfelter as the COO of Intelsat upon the closing.
Frownfelter will replace current Intelsat COO Ramu Potarazu and Intelsat Global Service Corporation president Kevin Mulloy, who have submitted their resignations from Intelsat, effective 9 February and 27 January, 2006, respectively.
As Intelsat COO, Frownfelter will have responsibility for sales and marketing functions, engineering and operations, and major program procurement. During his tenure at PanAmSat, he directed 16 successful satellite launches and instituted a renewed focus on core competencies, resulting in significant improvement in PanAmSat’s network reliability.
Since becoming an officer of the company in 2001, Frownfelter has led the transformation of PanAmSat from a satellite operator to a well-managed, higher quality, and more profitable communications company with expanded services for global distribution applications.
McGlade also announced that Phillip Spector will continue in his current role as Intelsat general counsel following the closing of the PanAmSat acquisition. He will retain responsibility for all legal and regulatory matters, as well as human resources, facilities, and security.
Spector joined Intelsat in February 2005 from the international law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where he was managing partner of the Washington office and chairman of the firm’s communications and technology group.
McGlade said, “The combination of Intelsat and PanAmSat will result in a premier satellite company that will be a leader in the delivery of video content, the transmission of corporate data and the provisioning of government communications solutions. Jim Frownfelter and Phil Spector have between them many decades of experience in the satellite sector, and they both have strong records of success. These appointments are the first phase in assembling a new team and signal our clear intention to take the company to the next level in terms of customer service and operational excellence.”
“At the same time, I would like to thank Ramu Potarazu for his significant contributions to Intelsat and the satellite industry over the past two decades, including his leadership roles in Intelsat’s 2001 privatisation, the acquisitions of Comsat General and Intelsat Americas assets, the sale of Intelsat to our current owners in 2005, and most recently the PanAmSat transaction. Kevin Mulloy also contributed greatly to Intelsat’s success, including the development of Intelsat’s post-privatization strategy and the technical integration of the Intelsat Americas fleet. We wish them every success in their future endeavors,” he added.
Acting Intelsat chief financial officer Robert Medlin will continue in that role at Intelsat until a permanent CFO is named. Current PanAmSat general counsel James Cuminale and chief financial officer Michael Inglese will stay with PanAmSat until the transaction closes.
PanAmSat CEO Joe Wright said, “I would like to congratulate Jim Frownfelter on his future role at Intelsat and feel very confident that he will have the same level of success in transforming and integrating the new company as he did at PanAmSat. While we will miss Jim Cuminale and Mike Inglese, we greatly appreciate the extraordinary roles they have played in building PanAmSat into the company it is today. Jim Cuminale was here from the creation of PanAmSat and has been a key architect of almost every major event that has occurred at this company. Mike Inglese oversaw internal and external financial transactions that were, in many cases, firsts for our industry.”
On 29 August, 2005, Intelsat and PanAmSat announced that the two companies signed a definitive merger agreement under which Intelsat will acquire PanAmSat for $25 per share in cash, or $3.2 billion. The transaction is currently expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2006.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
