Inmarsat announces new president of Aviation Business Unit

Inmarsat has named Philippe Carette the new president of its Aviation Business Unit.

Carette joins Inmarsat from Thales, where he held several roles since joining the company in 2013.  He was CEO of Thales’ InFlyt Experience Business Line (IFE), where he led a digital transformation of the business. Including this role and 14 years at Safran Group, he has over 30 years’ experience in the technology and aerospace industries.

Current business unit president Philip Balaam is moving into a new strategy role at Inmarsat, where he will be working with chief strategy officer Fredrik Gustavsson.

Rajeev Suri, CEO of Inmarsat, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Philippe Carette as president of our aviation business. He brings a wealth of experience and I look forward to working with him as a member of Inmarsat’s executive team.”

Suri thanked Balaam for his role in establishing Inmarsat in the inflight connectivity sector. “He will play a crucial role in enhancing the future strategic framework for the whole business,” he added.

Inmarsat’s director of Market Development, Aviation, Raymundo Villar told CJI the company has “clear visibility of where the industry will go” as it continues to expand over the coming year. He spoke to CJI following the publication of a joint research project which surveyed business aviation professionals, asking how the industry has fared since the pandemic and where it is heading.