December 23, 2005
SES Global S.A. and Willkie client New Skies Satellites Holdings Ltd. announce merger agreement.
On December 14, SES Global S.A. and Willkie client New Skies Satellites Holdings Ltd. announced that they have entered into a binding merger agreement whereby SES Global will acquire 100% of New Skies from Blackstone Group LP and other shareholders in a deal valued at $1.16 billion. Bermuda-based New Skies is the world's fifth largest satellite operator based on transponder capacity, with five spacecraft positioned at strategic orbital locations around the globe and an additional satellite due for launch in 2006. Luxembourg-based-SES Global is Europe’s No. 1 satellite operator. Willkie partner Philip Verveer and special counsel Michael Jones advised New Skies on the regulatory aspects of this transaction.
