Matthew Desch Propels Iridium to an All-Time High

Local CEO Matthew Desch took over Iridium, based in McLean, Va., 12 years ago and helped the company recover from a troubled past to become the powerhouse that it is today.

Under Desch’s leadership, Iridium averaged nine percent growth during the past decade and is operating in a category all its own. The company has more than doubled its stock price in the past year.

Under Desch’s leadership the company has built and delivered a complete network of 75 satellites. The company anticipates being able to generate approximately $2 billion of free cash flow during the next five years. Its stock price is at an all-time high. Desch ensured the company is relevant in space for the foreseeable future and positioned Iridium in critical cutting-edge applications such as helping to build protection into GPS networks.

Iridium is leading in several space-based technologies including participation as a founding organization of Aireon, the global flight tracking system which operates on the Iridium backbone network. The organization has also developed a security layer for the GPS network. They provided key flight data that was used in the decision to temporarily ground the Boeing 737 Max 8.

The company’s services include communications for merchant shipping services, the Department of Defense, the airlines, and specialized technologies for the internet of things that make this company an emerging force in the race for superior “overhead architecture.”