XM Satellite Radio Augments Marketing Team

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2006/Satnews Daily/ ― XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:XMSR) has realigned and strengthened its marketing operations with the creation of a dedicated marketing group for its growing automotive footprint, as well as with a number of senior-level marketing appointments.

Under the new structure, XM veteran Steve Cook has been named to the newly created role of executive vice president, Automotive, effective immediately. In his new role, Cook will focus exclusively on XM's automotive strategic partnerships, which include General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Nissan, which together account for approximately 60 percent of the U.S. automotive market.

In addition, My-Chau Nguyen, formerly of Sprint Nextel Communications, will join XM as senior vice president, Marketing, Planning and Research, and Sean Connolly, formerly of Intel Corporation, will be named vice president, Brand Management and Media. Both will report to a chief marketing officer, who will be appointed in the coming months to oversee all sales and marketing for the company, including media, branding and retention programs. Until a chief marketing officer is named, Nguyen and Connolly will report to Hugh Panero, the company's president and CEO.

XM said My-Chau Nguyen will oversee XM's strategic marketing efforts with responsibility for packaging, pricing, retention and marketing research. Her appointment is effective in September. Nguyen most recently held several senior marketing positions at Sprint Nextel Communications, serving both as vice president, Marketing Excellence and as vice president, Segment/Industry/National Accounts Marketing. She also served in senior marketing positions for AOL and Cable & Wireless.

In his new role as vice president, Brand Management and Media, Sean Connolly will oversee brand marketing and media for XM, effective August. He most recently served as Worldwide Advertising Director at Intel, where he oversaw Intel's global advertising campaigns, including television, print, radio, outdoor and online, for both business and consumer audiences. He joined Intel in 1999 as Consumer Advertising Manager and Director. Prior to that, Connolly spent six years with Foote, Cone & Belding Worldwide working with a client roster that included 3Com, Palm Inc., AT&T, Citibank and Nabisco Inc., among others.

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