Gogo has completed its acquisition of Satcom Direct (SD), creating a multi-orbit, multi-band, in-flight connectivity provider serving the needs of every segment of the global business aviation (BA) and military/government mobility markets.
The acquisition is expected to accelerate sales of Gogo’s soon-to-launch Galileo Low Earth Satellite (LEO) connectivity product by selling Gogo Galileo to SD’s 1,300 global broadband customers, selling new Galileo installs through the SD international sales force to the 12,000 medium and smaller business aircraft outside North America that have no broadband solution available, and leveraging SD’s strong presence in the Mil/Gov market where there is strong demand for LEO connectivity in combination with SD’s GEO connectivity.
“Combining with SD cements our position as the only in-flight connectivity provider able to satisfy the performance and cost needs of every segment of the global BA market,” said Oakleigh Thorne, Gogo executive chair. “With the launches of our next-generation LEO and 5G technologies, Gogo and SD are uniquely positioned to drive growth and future value creation.”
In connection with the completion of the combination, Chris Moore, president of SD, has been appointed Gogo’s CEO and will lead the combined company, bringing years of satellite and telecommunications experience. He succeeds Thorne who transitions to executive chair of the Gogo Board of Directors.
“Uniting the complementary strengths of Gogo and SD marks an exciting new chapter for us as one company. Together, we are uniquely positioned to deliver unparalleled in-flight connectivity solutions across the underpenetrated global BA and military/government mobility markets. I am excited to expand Gogo’s reach and continue its legacy of exceptional service and cutting-edge technology,” said Moore.
In addition, Zachary Cotner, chief financial officer of SD, has been appointed chief financial officer of the combined company, succeeding Jessi Betjemann. Mike Begler, who previously served as senior vice president of Gogo Production Operations, has been appointed executive vice president, chief operating officer of the combined company.
“I want to thank Jessi for her years of commitment and financial leadership at Gogo and wish her the best in her next chapter. As I transition to the Executive Chair role, I remain deeply committed to Gogo as a leader and an investor and look forward to working closely with Chris, Zach, Mike and our world-class team,” added Thorne.
