DOES VERTICAL INTEGRATION IN MANUFACTURING RISK THE DILUTION OF CAPITAL AND EFFORT

Brian Weimer is a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office and Leader of the firm’s Telecom Team and Co-Leader of the CFIUS Team. Mr. Weimer provides regulatory and transactional advice across the entire telecommunications ecosystem. He is perhaps best known as a leading lawyer for the satellite industry, and he leads the firm’s Space & Satellite practice as well.

Brian’s experience includes:

• Obtains market access and FCC licenses for space station operators, both GEO and Non-GEO.

• Advises companies on obtaining cable landing licenses and the regulatory issues presented by undersea cable companies.

• Advises satellite and wireless companies on regulatory proceedings impacting the value, uses, availability, and sharing of spectrum resources.

• Lobbies the FCC at the highest levels to achieve optimal outcomes for clients on their most important regulatory proceedings.

• Assists telecom companies navigate the myriad regulatory approvals necessary to consummate M&A deals, including Team Telecom and CFIUS.

• Secures special temporary authority and experimental licenses for telecom companies of all kinds.

• Prepares petitions for declaratory ruling to exceed foreign ownership benchmarks under the Communications Act.

• Obtain earth station licenses for satellite networks.

• Advises on regulatory aspects of business plans to assist fundraising efforts by start-up companies.

• Analyzes feasibility of foreign investment in telecom (and other) companies in light of strictures imposed by the Communications Act, Team Telecom, and CFIUS.

• Prepares applications for 214 authorization at the FCC and similar initiatives at the State level.

• Advises foreign companies on the need for and structuring of proxy companies in the U.S. to assist in obtaining specialized U.S. government contracts.

• Serves as a trusted advisor to founders and entrepreneurs in their most important strategic decisions as they relate to FCC, ITU, and market access actions around the world.

• Negotiates and drafts commercial contracts and M&A agreements for telecom companies.

• Advises companies through regulatory enforcement proceedings at the FCC and other federal agencies.

• Counsels telecom companies through restructuring efforts, including Chapter 11.

• Advises media and other telecom companies with all manner of regulatory requirements for their businesses.

Emile de Rijk is the founder and CEO of SWISSto12 – one of Europe’s fastest growing

aerospace companies. Emile founded SWISSto12 in 2011 as a spinoff from his PhD at the Swiss

Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). He led the company’s growth into aerospace and telecommunications, making it the first scale-up to sell a Geostationary telecom satellite, HummingSat, to a global operator. Emile has co-invented 15+ patents, raised over €30 million, and secured over €350 million in commercial contracts.

Tina Ghataore joined Aerospacelab in August 2023 as Group Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, and CEO of Aerospacelab’s new North American branch. Prior to joining the fast-growing international startup specialized in designing, manufacturing and operating small satellites, Tina served as Chief Commercial Officer of Mynaric and President of Mynaric USA where she led the company’s efforts to position Mynaric as the preferred laser communication provider for aerospace application for both government and commercial markets.

In 2022, Tina’s contribution to the aerospace industry was recognized by both the public and industry peers alike when she was voted Via Satellite’s “Satellite Executive of the Year”, accepting her award in front of a select audience at the industry’s leading annual conference ‘Satellite 2022’.

Before to take on her leading role at Mynaric, she was the Executive Vice President of Inflight Connectivity Solutions at Yahsat, a leading UAE Satellite Operator, where she was responsible for the overall strategy and execution of enabling the organization to launch into the Mobility Satcom Services business. In 2007, she founded The EKKAM Group, a strategic management consulting firm focused on serving clients in the aerospace/aviation and telecom industries. Key clients included Airbus, Panasonic and Thales. Tina held multiple leadership roles at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, where she was instrumental in efforts to launch the Panasonics Global Communications Services business, currently serving over 80+ airlines globally. She was also charged to establish the strategy and grow the software, applications and media business, serving the In-Flight Entertainment and Communications industry.

Tina began her career at The Boeing Company’s Satellite Systems business unit. She was integral to the building and launch of Connexion by Boeing (CBB) business, the first-of-its-kind true broadband communications services for commercial airlines. As part of the business development organization, she participated in the early pursuits of the Teledesic (LEO) and Ellipso (MEO) satellite programs. She was also a key member of the due diligence team efforts, resulting in the acquisition of Hughes Space and Communications. Tina received her Bachelor of Honors Degree in Aerospace Engineering from Kingston University in the U.K. She is also a graduate of the International Space University.

Daniel Gizinski is the Chief Strategy Officer at Comtech. In his current role, Daniel is focused on creating comprehensive strategies and developing innovative technologies that will help ensure the U.S. Department of Defense and coalition forces maintain a strategic advantage across today’s information dominant battlespace. Daniel collaborates with teams across the enterprise to develop cutting-edge, integrated solutions that address the most challenging mission needs of today while anticipating capabilities that will be needed in the future.

During his tenure with Comtech, Daniel has held multiple senior management and leadership positions including serving as the President of Comtech Satellite Network Technologies, Inc. and holding a position as Vice President of Product and Strategy for Comtech Systems, Inc. Prior to joining Comtech in 2019, Daniel held program management and leadership positions at General Electric, Sierra Nevada Corporation and L3Harris Technologies.
Daniel holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from Duke University.

Chris Winslett is the General Manager of Blue Canyon Technologies, part of the Space, Imaging and Microelectronics leadership under the Advanced Products & Solutions Strategic Business Unit of Raytheon, an RTX business.

With close to 25 years of industry experience, Chris joined Blue Canyon from Lockheed Martin where he most recently was the Program Director for SDA Transport Layer Programs. Prior to this role, he was the Director of Programs for OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus. In this position, he was responsible not only for completing the design and development of the OneWeb constellation, but also for standing up a factory that was able to produce 10 satellites a week and for developing a strategy to leverage that production to build a wider customer base.

Before joining OneWeb, Chris worked with Boeing for 17 years, holding a variety of positions across the company including leading the Platform and Payload Products for the Satellite Vehicles Business Unit.

Chris earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.