SES to Restructure, Up to 15% of Jobs at Risk

As part of its ongoing Simplify & Amplify transformation programme, SES announced over the weekend that it plans to restructure its operations worldwide, including the consolidation of part of its European regional operations into the company’s global headquarters in Betzdorf, Luxembourg.

SES said that, under its restructuring plan, it aims to improve operational efficiency, collaboration and overall effectiveness by consolidating functions in fewer locations while enhancing sales and customer-facing activities in the markets served. As a result, SES plans to close its offices in Brussels, Central London, the Isle of Man, Warsaw and Zurich, redistributing activities in these locations to other offices in Kiev, Stockholm, Stockley Park in London and The Hague as well as its headquarters in Luxembourg.

In March 2020, SES announced Simplify & Amplify as a comprehensive programme reportedly to position the company for future growth and deliver maximum value to current and future customers and stakeholders. 

In addition to consolidating SES’s global footprint and streamlining operating functions, other restructuring and delayering is underway including the removal of numerous open positions. SES has launched a compelling voluntary phased retirement programme and is retraining and realigning resources internally towards high-value future market opportunities and to bolster its position in cloud, mobility and other emerging verticals.

In aggregate, these changes will impact between 10% and 15% of its global employee base. Given that a number of these changes will impact employees in Luxembourg, SES has assured that it has engaged its personnel representatives to discuss the implementation of a social plan.

“In this rapidly evolving market, it is important that SES remains an agile business partner for our customers,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “Simplify & Amplify is a transformational undertaking that will streamline our business, drive collaboration, and improve efficiency. We are making these changes thoughtfully, ensuring that, wherever possible, we redeploy our talent within the company and minimise the impact to our global workforce while enhancing our ability to support and serve our global customer base”.