About

Michael Zeck’s team is in charge of all legal matters pertaining to SES’ German subsidiaries. SES is a global satellite operator with a fleet of 56 satellites. Being part of a relatively small legal department, Zeck is faced with a plethora of tasks and serves as the intersection between internal expert departments and external advisors, negotiating contracts, acting as compliance officer and data protection officer. Given the tight budget for external advisors, these tasks can only be carried out by ‘a qualified, competent and efficient team’. Zeck emphasises the legal department’s role as a ‘service provider within the company’, with lawyers acting as ‘solution-oriented enablers’. Particular career highlights have been launching the HD+ platform in 2009, which allows satellite users to watch free TV in HD quality for a service fee. ‘This was a complete novelty: To charge for a technologically higher quality free TV programme via satellite’ and that has consequently been marked by complex antitrust issues. Zeck has been in charge of contractual negotiations, a challenge particular in light of the fierce competition in the media sector. Here, the contractual concepts regarding end-users and the legal framework for secure and innovative data management ‘has set new standards’, recalls Zeck. But his gaze is directed towards the future: ‘New product additions such as internet-based services will provide exciting new legal topics’.