UAE satellite operator Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) has announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Andrew Cole as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective July 1, 2020.
Cole’s appointment follows the recent hiring of four Emirati executives to lead Yahsat’s government, commercial, operational and technical business units.
Cole has 25 years of cross-sector experience in senior finance, operational and advisory roles. From 2015 to 2019, he was the Group Financial Controller at SES. His primary functions covered all aspects of finance including financial planning, governance, risk (including satellite insurance) and compliance, accounting and global controlling operations. He has also worked for EY and KPMG London as an external auditor and business advisor to many global enterprises. His experience during his years in an external advisory role includes M&A and Financing, Corporate Restructuring, Commercial Planning, Tax, Treasury, Audit & Accounting as well as Risk Management.
Cole is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). He has an Executive MBA degree from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and a Post Graduate certificate in International Business from the University of Edinburgh.
He succeeds the current CFO, Balakrishnan Doraisamy, who will be retiring, having served Yahsat for almost 12 years. Balakrishnan will continue to be part of the company as Strategic Advisor.
Speaking about the appointment, Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, Chief Executive Officer of Yahsat, said: “I am most happy to welcome Andrew into our midst as the new CFO of Yahsat. As we continue to intensify our expansion programme across the globe, Andrew’s wealth of experience, especially in the satellite sector, will be highly beneficial to us. He has an excellent record at all finance and operational leadership levels, and I am sure he will bring great value to Yahsat.”
Andrew added: “Yahsat is a young, ambitious company that has grown exponentially in a short span of time. I am delighted to join its dynamic leadership team at a most exciting phase, and thank the Board of Directors for the confidence they have placed in me. I look forward to working with its multicultural workforce, and together we aim to continue the legacy and deliver a strong future for the company.”
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