hibu CFO to take Inmarsat finance chief role

EXPERIENCED finance chief Tony Bates is to join Inmarsat as CFO.

Currently group CFO of hibu (formerly Yell Group) since 2010, Bates will join on 2 June as CFO. Bates led hibu’s multi-billion pound refinancing and helping to implement a lower cost operating model.

He previously served a COO of Colt Telecom, having responsibility for finance. Earlier he held the CFO role at EMI.

Rupert Pearce, Inmarsat CEO, said: “I am delighted to welcome Tony to the Inmarsat management team. Tony brings with him a wealth of operational and financial experience from a diverse range of businesses and industries, which will be of great benefit to Inmarsat as we continue to grow and develop our activities. I have no doubt that Tony will make an important contribution to the success of Inmarsat in the coming years and I very much look forward to working with him.”

ICAEW-qualified Bates will take over from Rick Medlock, who had spent nine years with the communications business. Medlock is moving into private equity.

“I have been with Inmarsat for nine years and have hugely enjoyed my time at the company. However, I do believe it is time to move to the next stage of my career,” said Medlock. “I leave the company both financially and operationally strong at an extremely exciting time in its development.”