Tony Bates

Tony Bates brings more than three decades of senior level leadership across capital-intensive global telecommunications and media businesses.

He most recently served as Group Chief Financial Officer of Inmarsat, the global mobile satellite services provider, working closely with the Chief Executive on strategy, performance, capital structure, and major transactions. During his tenure, he played a central role in the company’s $6.4bn take-private transaction in 2019 and its subsequent $6.7bn sale to Viasat in 2023, alongside significant refinancing activity and sustained operational discipline in a highly capital-intensive environment.

Previously, Tony was Group CFO of Yell (hibu) Plc, where he led a complex financial restructuring and supported the business through a period of rapid structural change while repositioning it toward digital services. Earlier in his career, he held senior finance and operating roles at Colt Group SA and EMI Group Plc, with oversight of large international operations, integrations, and turnarounds.

Tony is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and holds a First-Class Honours degree in Management Sciences from the University of Manchester.