Executive Bios
CATHERINE E. NEEL
Vice President and Controller
NII Holdings, Inc.
Catherine Neel joined NII Holdings in June, 1999 as the Assistant Treasurer and became Treasurer in November, 2002 following NII’s successful restructuring to re-capitalize its balance sheet. During the five years since emerging from restructuring, NII has grown its market capitalization from $50 million to over $13 billion.
During her tenure as Treasurer, NII has raised over $2.5 billion in the capital markets through a secondary equity offering, four convertible bond issues and syndicated loans issued from NII’s Mexican and Brazilian subsidiaries. NII has used the proceeds to purchase spectrum, pay off vendor debt, expand the network, and to tender for 13% high yield notes, further de-levering the balance sheet and reducing cost of debt to less than 4.2%.
Ms. Neel is responsible for the company’s treasury functions including financing, hedging, foreign exchange and cash management. In addition, Ms. Neel is responsible for the company’s risk management and investor relations functions.
Ms. Neel has more than 25 years of financial experience including 18 years in the telecommunications industry. Prior to joining NII Holdings, Ms. Neel held various management positions with BellSouth in the areas of treasury, corporate tax and internal audit. Before her work in telecommunications, Ms. Neel practiced public accounting for 6 years.
Ms. Neel has a BS in Accounting from the University of Alabama and an MBA from the College of William and Mary. Ms. Neel is a CPA and resides in Arlington, Virginia.
