AVN.L Regulatory News (AVN)

10 May 2007 07:01

Avanti Communications Group Plc10 May 2007 10 May 2007 Avanti Communications Group Plc Appointment of Finance Director Avanti Communications (AIM: AVN), the satellite and broadband communicationsprovider, has appointed Nigel Fox as group finance director with effect from 18June 2007. Nigel Adrian Dawson Fox, aged 45, has an impressive range of financialmanagement experience. He is currently chief financial officer of the privatelyowned console games developer Climax Group with a turnover of over $35 millionand offices across the UK and USA, where he successfully completed a series ofleveraged finance and M&A transactions. He gained substantial experience of the technology industry whilst groupfinancial controller at ARC International where he assisted in its full listingon the London Stock Exchange in October 2000. Prior to that he was financedirector of Ruberoid Building Products, having spent five years as the groupfinancial controller of its parent company, Ruberoid Plc. Nigel qualified with the London office of Ernst & Whinney and became a member ofthe Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1987 and anassociate member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers in 1991. John Brackenbury, Chairman of Avanti Communications commented: "We are delighted that Nigel is joining us at a crucial moment in ourdevelopment towards a large scale business. He brings maturity and deepexpertise to the management team and will be a valuable addition to the board." No further disclosures are required to be made under Rule 17, Schedule 2,paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules. Enquiries: Avanti Communications Chief Executive - David Williams 020 7749 1600 College Hill Sara Musgrave / Corinna Dorward / Carl Franklin 020 7457 2049 Avanti Communications Group Avanti Communications Group is the only licensed fixed and broadcast satelliteoperator headquartered in the UK (and one of only nine such groups operating inEurope). In August 2005 Ofcom awarded Avanti the right to provide satelliteservices using the geo-stationery orbital position at 33.5 degrees west with3.6Ghz of radio spectrum which provides coverage of Western Europe and most ofCentral and Eastern Europe. The Company's first satellite HYLAS, is financed andunder construction for delivery in December 2008. HYLAS uses uniquetechnologies to provide highly flexible and cost effective satellite capacity. Avanti Communications currently provides satellite telecommunications servicesto customers in Europe (using leased satellite capacity) which will transfer toHYLAS on launch. Avanti sells wholesale HYLAS capacity to telecoms and mediaservice providers in Europe. The core applications for which Avanti expectsHYLAS capacity to be used are broadband, corporate networks and videodistribution. Avanti Communications Group's shares were admitted to AIM on 16 April 2007following the de-merger of the business from Avanti Screenmedia Group plc. About HYLAS HYLAS uses an advanced communications payload. The design incorporates: • eight Ka band spot beams which provide high power two-way capacitysuitable for high data telecommunications and HDTV; and • a single Ku band European beam suitable for traditional videodistribution and data multicast services. Unlike traditional satellites with fixed beam designs, HYLAS can dynamicallyallocate power between different beams and is capable of adapting while in orbitto use a wide range of different frequencies allowing it to be used effectivelyin many different orbital positions. HYLAS is relatively inexpensive because itsflexible payload allows it to extract 40 x 36 Mhz transponder equivalents from alaunch mass of just 2.5 tonnes. HYLAS has a warranted design life of 15 years. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange