Thuraya Telecommunications Company has appointed Mr. Samer Halawi as Chief Executive Officer of the company. Mr. Halawi assumed the office on January 23, 201,1 following the return of Mr. Yousuf Al Sayed to the Etisalat Group. Mr. Halawi has held several leadership positions in major regional and international telecom firms. Most importantly, he brings with him several years of experience in managing satellite telecom businesses and major customers across the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Mr. Al Sayed, who has been the Company’s CEO since 1998 and who built a strong presence for Thuraya in the international satellite telecom market, will now serve as Board Member of the Company. Thuraya holds a nearly 70 percent market share for handheld voice solutions in the mobile SATCOM industry within its 140-country coverage area spanning Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Australia.