Stéphane Beyazian's questions to SES (SGBAF) leadership • Q1 2025
Question
Stéphane Beyazian of ODDO BHF questioned if the costs for the IRIS2 program seemed high and if there was room for revision. He also asked about SES's exposure to potential U.S. space budget cuts and for any visibility on Starlink's C-band strategy.
Answer
CEO Adel Al-Saleh defended the IRIS2 business case, stating it is structured to meet strict IRR requirements and includes checkpoints where SES can exit if returns are not met. Regarding U.S. budgets, he expressed confidence in their government business, noting that rising European demand provides a balance. He acknowledged Starlink as a formidable competitor but emphasized that SES's multi-orbit strategy, with mPOWER and IRIS2, is designed to be highly competitive and relevant for its target customers.