Presenter: They Thought We Were Crazy... And We Had to Be!

Matt Desch is the Chief Executive Officer of Iridium Communications Inc., the only satellite communications company that offers truly global voice and data coverage. He has more than 40 years of experience in telecommunications management, and more than 30 years in the global wireless industry. Joining Iridium in 2006, Desch has been responsible for leading the innovation and growth of Iridium, which includes taking the company public on Nasdaq (IRDM) in 2009, completing the financing and development of Iridium® NEXT, the company’s $3 billion investment in upgrading the Iridium network with powerful new satellites, and launching Iridium Certus®, a multi-service broadband platform enabled by the upgraded constellation. With Mr. Desch at the helm, Iridium’s active subscriber base has grown from 150,000 in 2006, to nearly 1.8 million today, and dramatically expanded its operational earnings and free cash flow, while moving into important new services like global space-based aircraft tracking with its joint-venture, Aireon. Mr. Desch serves as a member of the U.S. President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) and is a member on the Board of Trustees of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Board of Directors of Unisys, global IT services firm. Mr. Desch holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from The Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Chicago