Ex-Nokia CMO Barry French (pictured) was appointed to a similar role at satellite CSP Inmarsat, reuiniting with his former boss Rajeev Suri.

In a statement, Inmarsat said Suri, who took over as CEO at the start of the month, had made two executive appointments to “further enhance the company’s commercial and product capabilities”.

The most high profile of the two was French, who was named chief marketing and communications officer (CMCO), reporting to Suri. The company said he would be charged with sharpening customer focus, and driving engagement and revenue generation “to the next level”.

French left Nokia at the end of 2020, a few months after Suri, as new boss Pekka Lundmark shook up the Finnish vendor’s management with a number of high ranking changes.

Inmarsat’s new hire joined Nokia in 2006, taking on responsibility for growing the brand in 2014. There was no explanation given for his departure.

Suri’s other move involved the promotion of Inmarsat’s current SVP of group commercial management, Jat Brainch, to chief commercial and product officer.

The satellite company said both appointments “are the result of a wide ranging review of Inmarsat’s performance and effectiveness”, since Suri started.