Andrés B Bande was elected Chairman of the Board and CEO of FLAG Telecom in January 1998. FLAG Telecom is a leading independent global carriers' carrier providing an innovative range of products and services to over 100 international telecommunications operators and global Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across a global company-owned and operated network platform optimized to support the next generation of IP over optical data networks. By 2002 this network is expected to stretch over 100,000 operational route kilometres, more than enough to circle the globe twice.

Global telecommunications is one of the fastest growing industries and FLAG Telecom is well positioned to be the world leader in the most critical segment of this vital market. The company remains ahead of its business plans and exceeded 1999 revenue targets.

FLAG Telecom listed on Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange on 11 February 2000, and trades under the symbols: FTHL on Nasdaq and FTL in London.

FLAG Telecom’s network links all the world’s main business centres, providing network and capacity services to our customers. The FLAG network includes four main infrastructure projects: the privately-financed FLAG Europe-Asia subsea cable, with 16 operational landing points in 13 countries on three continents; FLAG Atlantic-1, expected to enter service in March 2001, which will offer direct city to city connectivity between New York, London and Paris; FLAG North Asian Loop, a pan-Asian ring cable system, which will offer unprecedented speed and access to Asian cities when it enters service in Q2 2001; and FLAG Pacific-1, the longest transoceanic cable system announced to date which will connect the Internet hub cities of Tokyo, Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2002.

Before joining FLAG Telecom, Andrés was the President of Sprint International, and also spent six years as President of Ameritech International, where he successfully launched the company’s international strategic investment unit and expanded its holdings to nearly $4bn, with operations through Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim.

Prior to Ameritech, Andrés spent several years with US West, and from 1976 to 1988, he was president and co-founder of Teleconsult Inc, an international Telecommunication Consulting Practice. From 1967 to 1976 Andrés was Special Advisor: Asia, East/West Europe, Latin America and Africa for the United Nations in New York.

Andrés is a recognised expert on international trade, investment and telecommunications and is a frequent speaker on telecommunications privatisation and finance. He has published several papers and articles and holds a law degree from the University of Chile and a master’s degree in politics and international law from Oxford University.