Mobile Technology Industry Sales and Marketing Executive Robert Shaw Joins Thales OEM Solutions Group

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Sept. 20, 2005--Thales, global innovator of GPS navigation and positioning solutions including the Magellan consumer line of GPS devices, today appointed Robert Shaw to lead its OEM sales efforts in the Western region of the United States. Shaw, a twenty-year veteran of the mobile technology industry, has managed sales and marketing activities of leading technology companies including Boeing, GTE Government Systems, Signal Science, Steinbrecher Corporation, and Wytec, and served as manufacturer's representative to technology providers SirF and Lucent Technologies.

Most recently building the sales and marketing program of Wytech, developer of high-speed fixed wireless access equipment, Shaw achieved the highest sales in the industry - in excess of $400 million -- for the company's local multipoint distribution service equipment.

"Bob's experience in all aspects of the mobile technology field provides a rare culmination of expertise that we are already putting to work in our OEM solutions business," said Hubert Canuet, vice president and general manager of the Thales OEM business unit. "Our strategic focus on providing world-class GPS technologies for the consumer electronics and automotive fields and Bob's reach into the mobile technology industry are an excellent fit and a recipe for success."

As a manufacturer's representative at Schoenduve Corporation, Shaw was instrumental in the successful integration of Lucent technology into Apple platforms, provided inroads for SirF into U.S. carriers, and initiated the first commercial product line for the FCC's E-911 mandate at Signal Science.

Shaw holds a B.A. degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

About Thales

Thales is an international electronics and systems group serving the defense, aerospace, services and security markets. The group employs 61,500 people worldwide and generated revenues of 10 billion euros in 2004.

Thales' navigation business is one of the world's leaders in positioning, navigation and guidance equipment with global operations. Thales markets its Magellan(R) brand GPS solutions in the consumer electronics, recreation, and automotive markets, and its GPS and GNSS professional products in the survey, GIS/Mapping, and OEM markets.

Through its joint venture with Hertz, Thales has developed the Hertz NeverLost(R) vehicle navigation system.

Note to editors: Photo available from ahiggins@thalesnavigation.com