Dr. Beitchman has been in the telecommunications and electronics business for forty years, working internationally in the United States, Asia and Europe.
In 2001, after returning to the US after 18 years of work in satellite telecommunication in Asia and Europe he established his firm, JGB Consult, LLC to provide consulting services to domestic and international customers who can benefit from his experience and expertise in international satellite telecommunications, broadcasting and electronics businesses. Clients include SES AMERICOM, ViaSat, Orbcomm, KVH, Rainbow DBS, Sirius Satellite Radio, Sensis Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and numerous legal and financial services firms. Most recently he has been a consultant to LeoSat and was instrumental in securing the investment in LeoSat by SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. JGB Consult maintains strong ties to US investment banking firms to which it provides advisory services. Because of Dr. Beitchman’s lengthy experience in Japan working in the telecommunications industry, many of the company’s clients, both US domestic and Japanese, have interests in telecommunications matters involving Japan or are international businesses that involve both US and Japanese interests.
In 2005, with financial and operational partners, Dr. Beitchman established BB SAT, LLC a company to provide broadband satellite services to individual consumers, with the initial target market being Japan. Following receipt of regulatory approvals in Japan, demonstration service commenced in 2008, followed by initial commercial service in February 2010. Though the service was a market and technical success, the company was forced to suspend operations because expected financing for the business could not be completed as a result of world-wide economic conditions.
Before the establishment of JGB Consult, Dr. Beitchman was CEO & Managing Director of SkyGate BV in Amsterdam, the Netherlands from 1999 to 2001. That firm, owned by Israeli and French interests including Alcatel, developed new types of mobile satellite communications antennas based on the company’s proprietary phased array technology. The company became the Israeli company, Raysat and has since been acquired by Gilat Satellite Networks
Prior to SkyGate from 1997 to 1999, Dr. Beitchman was founding CEO & Managing Director of Lockheed Martin Intersputnik in London, a satellite telecommunications service venture owned jointly by Lockheed Martin Corporation and the Intersputnik organization located in Moscow, Russia. His company was responsible for establishing its infrastructure (satellites and ground systems) and entering into the telecommunications service business. The company procured the first Lockheed Martin A2100 spacecraft to serve as the company’s first telecommunications satellite. That satellite is currently in successful operation serving customers from Asia to Europe.
Dr. Beitchman was resident in Japan for thirteen years from 1985 though 1997. Initially he worked for the American company COMSAT, a US international telecommunications firm, and Sumitomo Corporation in a joint operation in Tokyo. For COMSAT he introduced their satellite communications equipment into Japan and other Asian countries and was responsible the manufacturing in Japan of satellite communications equipment used in COMSAT satellite earth stations. He worked with customers using COMSAT systems to establish teleports in Korea and Japan.
For three years from 1989 to 1992 during the beginning of service of Japan’s satellite operator, SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, Dr. Beitchman, was a dispatched employee from Hughes Electronics, serving as a representative of Hughes and as General Manager, Engineering of JSAT. His group established video uplinks and data network systems for the company and its customers.
In 1992 Hughes Electronics established its Asian regional company, Hughes Asia Pacific, with headquarters in Tokyo. Dr. Beitchman became the president of that company, as well as the president of Hughes Electronics Japan KK. Hughes Asia Pacific maintained operations in 12 countries in the region and was responsible for marketing and sales of Hughes satellites, satellite and terrestrial telecommunications and broadcasting networks, and civil and military electronic systems throughout Asia. From an initial annual sales base of $200M sales reached $1.3B in the third year of operation.
Dr. Beitchman is fluent in Japanese and has concluded successful business arrangements involving partnerships, sales, communications services, facilities, and intellectual property matters throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Before beginning his international career in 1985, Dr Beitchman was Director, Space Segment for Satellite Television Corporation, the first US DTH/DBS company. He managed the engineering and operations group responsible for the specification, procurement, launch and operation of the company’s planned satellite fleet and related ground systems.
As Vice President and General Manager of Engineering of Barnes Engineering, his team was responsible for designing and manufacturing sensors and systems for NASA, commercial and military satellites. The company supplied the primary payload for the NASA Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) as a subcontractor to TRW, the integrator of the satellite.
Prior to that, he worked as a senior project manager at Science Applications International Corporation and General Research Corporation on variety of intelligence and military systems engineering projects.
Dr. Beitchman was educated at the University of Pennsylvania (BA & MS Physics). He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Virginia.
