David Margolese (born October 24, 1957) is an Israeli businessman best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Sirius XM,Michael Wolff
"Cruise Control,"
'' New York'', September 25, 2000, pp. 30-32. the world’s largest radio company. Considered "one of the earliest advocates of pay radio,"Paul Farhi
"Music From the Spheres,"
''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'', May 19, 1997. he "effectively created the industry."Simon Houpt
"Radio Flyer,"
'' Report On Business Magazine'', September 2001, pp. 14-16.

Early life

Margolese was born and raised in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. He attended the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...

, dropping out after one year.

Cellular

Rogers Wireless

Margolese is also the co-founder of Rogers Wireless, Canada's largest wireless company. In 1978, at the age of 20, Margolese founded Canadian Telecom, a radio paging company,Bethany McLean
"Satellite Killed The Radio Star,"
'' Fortune'', January 22, 2001, pp. 94-100.Caroline Van Hasselt
''High Wire Act: Ted Rogers and the Empire That Debt Built''
Mississauga, Ontario:

John Wiley & Sons John Wiley & Sons, Inc., commonly known as Wiley (), is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Publishing, publishing company that focuses on academic publishing and instructional materials. The company was founded in 1807 and pr ...

, 2008, Chapters 12 and 14.Katy Bachman, "Space Invaders: The Next Wave," '' Mediaweek'', April 12, 1999. which in 1980 partnered with Rogers Communications to create Rogers Wireless.

Satellite radio

Sirius XM

In 1990, Margolese acquired control of CD Radio, a newly formed venture proposing a satellite radio service, becoming its chairman and CEO in 1993. Margolese built the company with $1.8 billion he raised. He obtained the government license to operate the service, renamed the company Sirius Satellite Radio, developed and launched its satellites, developed its receivers, struck installation deals with automakers, and struck content deals with media companies.Steve Warren
''Radio: The Book''
4th Edition, Burlington, MA: Focal Press, 2005, p. 166. Margolese designed the company's studios and headquarters, and built them in

Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The 14 original Art De ...

in Manhattan. In 2001, Margolese stepped down as CEO, remaining chairman for two more years, with Sirius issuing a statement thanking him "for his great vision, leadership and dedication in creating both Sirius and the satellite radio industry." Sirius acquired XM in 2008, becoming Sirius XM, the world's largest radio company.

Honors

Margolese was nominated by

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

as Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999. He was inducted into

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

's Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2002.

Personal life

In 2002, Margolese moved to Israel, where he lives with his wife Michal and their six children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Margolese, David Living people 1957 births Businesspeople from Vancouver Canadian Jews Canadian radio executives Canadian radio company founders Canadian emigrants to Israel Israeli Jews Businesspeople in telecommunications Rogers Communications Sirius Satellite Radio Sirius XM University of British Columbia alumni