Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, announced today a new office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will serve as an expansion office in the Middle East, aimed at expanding relationships with Emirati government institutions, ministries and local customers.
Dubai is a leading science, space and technology hub in the Middle East, committed to driving technology investment, innovation, knowledge, economic growth and talent creation. Establishing a new office in Dubai’s Silicon Oasis district will allow Viasat to further expand its relationship with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), home to the UAE National Space Programme; provide additional local support services to Viasat customers within the mobility and enterprise businesses, specifically aviation, maritime and energy; and also create opportunities to further diversify the Company’s local talent base.
“UAE, and Dubai in particular, have shown great leadership and progressive interest in driving new and critical space initiatives forward; they represent a hub for space entrepreneurship, innovation and investment,” said Rick Baldridge, president and CEO, Viasat. “We look forward to expanding our presence in Dubai, as it serves as a major center of commerce, government, global economic development and has an ongoing desire to further develop the space industry regionally.”
Salem AlMarri, Deputy Director-General, MBRSC, said: “At MBRSC we have always believed in leveraging our scientific and technological capabilities to collaborate and support companies looking to make a difference in the space industry. We have been partnering with Viasat for the better portion of the past two decades, and we are pleased to welcome them to Dubai as they set up their first office. Beyond being a space communications leader and satellite system innovator, their commitment to opening a dedicated office here further highlights the city as a center of excellence for the global space community. As we look ahead, we will continue to support partners that are dedicated to promoting space science, advancing space technology and inspiring space exploration in the Arab region.”
The new office builds on Viasat’s presence in the Middle East. The Company recently acquired an office and team through its acquisition of RigNet, has partnered with local satellite operators to deliver regional satellite services and has plans to bring its own satellite capacity to the region once it launches its ViaSat-3 satellite constellation, which is expected to bring significant satellite capacity to the region, enabling a variety of advanced broadband services.
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