Sanjiv Ahuja is currently Chairman and CEO of LightSquared[1] a company that is developing a wholesale-only nationwide 4G LTE Long Term Evolution wireless broadband communications network integrated with satellite coverage.[2] The company is the result of Harbinger Capital Partners acquisition in March, 2010 of satellite operator SkyTerra Communications.[3] Sanjiv partnered with Harbinger Capital Partners Chief Executive Officer Philip A. Falcone in creating LightSquared.[4]
Sanjiv is also founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Augere,[5] a company formed in 2007 with a vision to provide broadband access for all.[6] Augere is currently providing wireless broadband internet services in Bangladesh and Pakistan under the brand name Qubee.[7] As well, Sanjiv is the founder and Chairman of Eaton Telecom, which is building passive telecom infrastructure throughout Africa.[8]
Prior to founding Augere, Sanjiv was the Chief Executive Officer of Orange S.A for three years from March 2004 - April 2007. Prior to that he was the company's Chief Operating Officer from April 2003 to March 2004. After stepping down as CEO of Orange S.A, Sanjiv was Chairman of Orange UK until September 2008.[9]
During his leadership, Orange increased the number of countries in which it operated from 17 to 23, including 14 countries in Africa, and more than doubled its mobile customers from 48 million to over 100 million worldwide. Orange S.A also saw a significant and continuous improvement in revenue, market share and cash flow under his leadership. Sanjiv oversaw the successful extension of the Orange brand from mobile origins to embrace France Telecom's broadband, fixed line and IPTV services in its largest markets.
Sanjiv's previous industry experience includes President of Telcordia Technologies (formerly Bellcore), the world's largest provider of operations support systems, network software and consulting and engineering services to the telecommunications industry. Prior to that, he spent fifteen years at IBM in various executive roles. His last area of responsibility included leading IBM's entry into the telecommunications software industry.
Sanjiv has a degree in electrical engineering from Delhi University, India, and a masters degree from Columbia University in New York. He is currently a non-executive director of Telenor S.A.[10]