Acquisition of Connect Topco Limited by Viasat, Inc.
Updated 10 July 2023
© Crown copyright 2023
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/acquisition-of-connect-topco-limited-by-viasat-inc-notice-of-final-order/acquisition-of-connect-topco-limited-by-viasat-inc
1. On 15 September 2022, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (“the Minister”) on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has made a final order pursuant to section 26 of the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (“the Act”), which comes into force on the date on which the acquisition is completed.
2. The Parties who are subject to the order are:
i. Inmarsat Group Holdings Limited (“Inmarsat”)
ii. Viasat, Inc. (“the Acquirer”)
3. The Acquirer will gain control of the qualifying entity, Connect Topco Limited, upon completion by increasing the percentage of shares held in the qualifying entity from less than 75% to 75% or more (“the Acquisition”). The Acquisition constitutes a trigger event under section 8(2)(c) of the Act.
4. The national security risks in this case relate to:
i. the protection of information and
ii. the maintenance of strategic capabilities.
5. The final order provides assurance that:
i. controls are in place to protect information from unauthorised access, and
ii. strategic capabilities continue to be provided by Inmarsat and Viasat to the UK government.
6. The Minister considers that the final order is necessary and proportionate to mitigate the risk to national security.