Executive Suite: Teledesic Expands Senior Leadership Team

EDGE, On & About AT&T, March 22, 1999

Teledesic LLC, which is building a global, broadband Internet-in-the-Sky, Wednesday announced the expansion of its senior leadership team. Mark Shahriary, a former senior Hughes executive, has joined the company as president, bringing 20 years of satellite manufacturing and management experience to Teledesic. Most recently, Shahriary was an executive vice president of Hughes Space and Communications, where he was responsible for leading the operations of the $2.5 billion company. At Teledesic, Shahriary, 54, is responsible for providing overall corporate leadership as well as overseeing the company's day-to-day operations. "As Teledesic builds global momentum and moves into its next stage of development, we wanted to expand the company's senior leadership team to reflect our growth," said Craig McCaw, Teledesic's founder and chairman. "Mark Shahriary has unparalleled experience in technology and manufacturing, and his leadership will help us develop the world's first global broadband network with guaranteed end-to-end quality of service." Bill Owens, vice chairman, will add the title co-chief executive officer, sharing the title with Steve Hooper. Hooper, 46, will continue to focus on strategic financing and business coordination with McCaw's other companies, including NEXTLINK, one of the nation's fastest growing providers of competitive telecommunications services. In related news, Hooper Wednesday became chief executive officer of NEXTLINK, where he is also chairman. Owens, 58, will spearhead Teledesic's business development and government marketing activities. He is the former president, chief operating officer and vice chairman of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. McCaw will remain Teledesic's chairman. Russ Daggatt, 43, who was Teledesic's president, becomes vice chairman and will continue to support the company's international, legal and regulatory efforts.

In addition, Farzad Ghazvinian, formerly vice president and chief technology officer, has been promoted to senior vice president and chief technology officer. Ghazvinian, 45, is responsible for the overall technical design of the Teledesic Network, including the integrated design of satellites, user equipment and network functions. Using a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites, Teledesic is the first satellite communications network that will enable affordable, worldwide access to "fiber-like" telecommunications services such as broadband Internet access, videoconferencing and interactive multimedia. McCaw and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates are the two primary founding investors in Teledesic. Other investors include Motorola, Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and The Boeing Company. Teledesic (pronounced "tel-eh-DEH-sic") is a private company based in Kirkland, Wash., a suburb of Seattle.