Mobile industry and tech channel moves for April 2020

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Former PayPal CMO to lead marketing at HMD Global

HMD Global, the firm that manufactures Nokia devices under licence, has named Stephen Taylor as Chief Marketing Officer. Taylor has more nearly three decades of experience in sales and marketing having previously held positions at PayPal and Samsung.

Severina Pascu is Virgin Media's new CFO and Deputy CEO

Virgin Media has appointed  Severina Pascu as CFO and Deputy CEO. Pascu was previously at sister company UPC Switzerland. In addition to finance, she will also take on responsibility for customer service and field operations as well as logistics and supply chain, reporting to Virgin Media CEO Lutz Schüler.

Arqiva appoints Paul Donovan as CEO

Arqiva has appointed Paul Donovan as CEO with immediate effect. Donovan is currently sits as a non-executive director on the company's board and has more than 20 years experience in the technology, media and telecommunications sectors. He will work with incumbent Simon Beresford-Wylie over the next two months in order to enable a smooth transition. 

James Kitto promoted to UK & Ireland VP Sales

James Kitto has been promoted from Sales Director for UK & Ireland to UK & Ireland Vice-President of Sales at Samsung. In his expanded role, Kitto will be responsible for continuing Samsung's 5G strategy, customer loyalty efforts and the company's ecosystem proposition.

Onestream recruits ex-Mobile Phones Direct COO as CEO

Independent ISP Onestream has appointed former Mobile Phones Direct COO James Carr as CEO. Carr oversaw the £38.1 million sale of the online mobile phone retailer and will be tasked with expanding Onestream’s workforce to eighty full time employees by the end of 2020.

Pekka Lundmark replaces Rajeev Suri as Nokia CEO

Rajeev Suri will step down as Nokia CEO on September 1 and will be replaced by company alumnus Pekka Lundmark. Currently CEO of Finnish-based energy company Fortum, Lundmark was at Nokia between 1990 and 2000 and will look to deliver the firm’s 5G strategy.

Oliver Dowden is the new Culture Minister

Oliver Dowden has been named as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. He was previously Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, having been elected as an MP in 2015.

Phil Sheppard Departs Three

Three has confirmed its director of strategy and architecture Phil Sheppard has left the company after 19 years. Sheppard plans to do some consultancy work and take some time off.

Simon Saunders joins Ofcom

Simon Saunders will join Ofcom next month as Director of Emerging Technology. Saunders was previously at Google, where he was Head of Connectivity Partnerships for EMEA. He has also held positions at Motorola and Philips, and is a visiting professor at Kings College London.

Brightstar welcomes two major arrivals

Brightstar has expanded its ranks with two major appointments. David Brassington has joined the company from TechData, where he was Business Unit Director for Mobile and CE Endpoint Solutions, while Jon Charters (pictured) has assumed the role of Head of Retail. He was previously at Sony Mobile.

Samsung Mobile UK has a new marketing director

Samsung has appointed Sharon Hegarty as IM Marketing Director for UK & Ireland. She joins from Virgin Media having previously held positions at Sky, TalkTalk. At Samsung she will drive the company's strategic approach to launch campaigns, 5G, and loyalty campaigns.

HMD Global gets new UK GM

HMD Global has promoted Omar Riaz to the position of General Manager for UK & Ireland. Riaz was previously General Manager for Sales Operations for Europe for HMD Global and has been with the company for the past three years. Ruben Lehmann has also been named as HMD Global’s VP of Europe, joining from Swiss distributor Autronic.

A1 Comms gets new Digital and Telesales head

Bobbie Bhogal has joined A1 Comms as Managing Director of Digital, overseeing the Digital Telesales business at A1 Comms. Bhogal founded e2Save.com in 1999, launched mobile phone ecommerce firm Stickee Technology, and directed Dixons Carphone Online Solutions.

Chris Millington to head Emporia's UK launch

Industry veteran Chris Millington has been appointed to oversee Emporia's expansion into the UK market in 2020. Millington will assume the role of UK & Ireland MD at the company.

Former BT CEO Gavin Patterson secures another role

Gavin Patterson has joined Purple WiFi as a non-executive director. Patterson left his role as BT CEO in January and has since assumed the position of EMEA Chairman for Salesforce

Sari Balfauf replaces Risto Siilasmaa as Nokia Chair

Risto Siilasmaa will step down as the chair of the Nokia board at the company's AGM in April. Siilasmaa joined the Nokia board in 2008 and was interim CEO between 2013 and 2014. He will be replaced by Sari Baldauf.

Fergal Donovan joins PCS Wireless

After two years as CEO of Data Select, Fergal Donovan has joined PCS Wireless as European President. During his time at Data Select, Donovan built relationships with leading manufacturers to strengthen the company's position in the UK.  In his role with, Donovan will look to grow PCS Wireless at a time of growth in the refurbished device market.

Mark Mitchison takes control at Brightstar UK

Mark Mitchison has replaced Nazish Dossa as managing director of Brightstar UK. Mitchinsoon, who has previously held positions at Samsung, Carphone Warehouse and Huawei, most was most recently a professional coach and founder of Wellbeing Executives.

Ofcom appoints interim chief executive

Ofcom has appointed Jonathan Oxley as interim Chief Executive. Oxley, who is currently Group Director for Competition and Board member for Ofcom, replaces Sharon White who is departing for John Lewis. A full time successor will be named after the General Election.

Tom Deynard is new Tesco Mobile CEO

Tom Deynard is the new CEO of MVNO Tesco Mobile. He was previously COO of Tesco's store in Malaysia, having joined the retail giant in 20125. He replaces Claire Lorians who remains with the company as Group Innovation Director.

Vodafone restructures, names CEO of tower business

Vodafone has appointed its current Rest of World CEO Vivek Badrinath as the cEO of its new European tower business. No successor to Badrinath will be sought as Vodafone is abolishing the Rest of World regional organisation and integrating it elsewhere in the company.

Former BT boss joins board of AI firm

Former BT CEO Gavin Patterson has joined the board of AI and analytics firm Fractal. Patterson, who departed BT in January, has also recently been appointed as Salesforce EMEA Chairman.

Max Taylor rejoins Vodafone

Max Taylor has rejoined Vodafone as consumer director. Taylor had previously spent a decade at EE where he was most recently Managing Director, Marketing.

Jeff Dodds steps up as Virgin Media COO

Jeff Dodds has been named as Virgin Media chief operating officer. Dodds replaces Lutz Schuler who will takeover as CEO in June.

Wilkin Lee joins Oppo

Wilkin Lee has joined Oppo as Business Development Director for the UK. Lee joins from Xiaomi having previously spent six years at Honor.

Gigaclear gets new CEO

Gareth Williams is the new CEO of Gigaclear. Williams, who was previously CEO of Interoute, replaces interim chief executive Mike Surrey.

Intel recruits Qualcomm CFO as new finance chief

Qualcomm CFO George Davis has left Intel to take up the same role at rival Intel.  Davis joined Qualcomm in 1997 and held his most recent role since 2013.

BTGS gets first Director of Media and Technology

BTGS has named Roger Woodend as its first Director of Media and Technology. Woodend has been at BT for 15 years and will head up the newly-established global team from New York City.

CityFibre names Simon Holden as Group COO

Simon Holden has been appointed to a newly created position of Group Chief Operating Officer at CityFibre, reporting directly to CEO Greg Mesch. Holden joins from Holdman Sachs, where he spent 18 years in London and New York.

A1 Comms appoints O2 alumni as Business MD

Steve Heald has been named as the new Managing Director of A1 Comms' businessn division. Heald joins from O2 where he was head of B2B direct partners.

Colt appoints new head of mobile connectivity solutions

Mark Gilmour is the new Head of Mobile Connectivity Solutions at Colt Technology Services. Most recently he was Senior Advisor for Product Line Management Cellular and Wireless at Ciena.

Philip Jansen assumes control of BT

Philip Jansen has formally succeeded Gavin Patterson as CEO of BT following a transition period. Jansen was previously co-CEO of Worldpay

Nokia names new Fixed Networks President

Nokia has named Sandra Motley as President of its Fixed Networks Business Group. Motley replaces Federico Guillén who is the new Nokia President of Customer Operations and joined the company as part of the Alcatel-Lucent merger in 2016.

Hyperoptic names new ISP Managing Director

Charles Davies is the new MD for Hyperoptic’s ISP business. Davies will work to build the Hyperoptic brand and will report to CEO Dana Tobak.

GSMA appoints new chair

Orange CEO Stephane Richard has been named the new Chair of the GSMA. He will be responsible for overseeing strategic direction that the mobile industry body.

BT Security CEO quits the company

BT Security CEO Mark Hughes is leaving his position to take on a "senior" role at another company, reports the FT. Hughes had spent 16 years at BT and will now oversee a transition period.

Worldpay co-chief Philip Jansen is new BT CEO

 BT has confirmed Worldpay joint-CEO Philip Jansen will become its new chief executive next year, ending the search for a successor to current boss Gavin Patterson. 

Tech21 promotes Colin Woodward to CEO

Mobile phone case manufacturer Tech21 has named its former marketing director and head of sales Colin Woodward as its new CEO. Woodward has 20 years experience in the technology industry having previously served at HTC and Sony

EE alumni Mansoor Hanif is the new Ofcom CTO

 

BT and EE alumnus Mansoor Hanif is Ofcom’s new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), replacing the long-serving Steve Unger who left the regulator in June.

Hanif’s new remit will be to ensure Ofcom’s work is informed by the latest developments in network technology, having previously served as head of convergence at BT-EE.

Boris Dragovic is Hyperoptic's Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer

Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) network builder Hyperoptic has appointed Boris Dragovic has been appointed as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. Dragovic will be responsible for helping the altnet scale and operate more efficiently as it gears up for expansion

Three CTO Bryn Jones departs

 

Three CTO Bryn Jones has left the company after six years, believing the time is right for a career and lifestyle change.

Jones joined Three in May 2012 and was responsible for network strategy, design and deployment. Prior to that he was Director of Mobile Delivery at Virgin Media.

Max Taylor departs EE as BT combines marketing roles

EE's MD of marketing Max Taylor has left company to take on a new position elsewhere. Pete Oliver has taken on the newly combined role of Marketing for BT Consumer, EE and Plusnet. Taylor had been at EE for 15 years

 Wilkin Lee departs from Honor 

Wilkin Lee has left his role as Honor UK sales and marketing director after nearly four years with the Huawei-owned smartphone maker. It is unclear where his next position will be, but Lee did say on Twitter that there were “exciting challenges” in the pipeline.

Mike Surrey is new Gigaclear CEO

Gigaclear COO Mike Surrey has been promoted to CEO following the departure of Matthew Hare. Hare, who founded the alternative network infrastructure builder, had been a champion for ultrafast broadband during his eight year tenure.

Nick Read replaces Vittorio Colao as Vodafone CEO

Nick Read will become the new CEO of Vodafone Group in October, replacing the long-serving Vittorio Colao, who spent a decade in the top job. Read is the current CFO of Vodafone Group and has previously served as the CEO of Vodafone UK.

Uber appoints former Virgin Mobile MD as head of Northern Europe

Uber has appointed the former MD of Virgin Mobile as its new head of Northern and Eastern Europe. He was previously director of electronics at Amazon UK and replaces Jo Bertram who left last year. His biggest task will be dealing with Transport for London (TfL) about renewing his licence.

Orange Business Services appoints Helmut Reisinger as CEO 

Helmut Reisinger has been promoted to CEO of Orange Business Services, replacing Thierry Bonhomme, who will retire later this year. Reisinger was previously head of international, covering the firm's business outside France, and will report directly to Orange CEO Stephane Richard.

Andrew Cantle is Unlockd's new Chief Commercial Officer

Andrew Cantle is the new chief commercial officer at mobile advertising firm Unlockd. Cantle was previously head of EMEA and APAC at GoCanvas and before that he was Australia and UK country manager at Tranglo Mobile Payments. At Unlockd, he will be tasked with growing the firm and obtaining new supply partners.

Matt Stagg swaps EE role for BT Sport Director of Mobile Strategy

EE's head of media and broadcast Matt Stagg is to take up the newly created role of BT Sport Director of Mobile Strategy. Mobile is an increasingly important platform for the broadcaster and Stagg will be tasked with growing the audience and helping identify new technologies.

Gerry McQuade to be BT Enterprise CEO

Gerry McQuade will be the first chief executive of the new BT Enterprise division when it launches on 1 October. McQuade is currently CEO of BT Wholesale and Ventures, which is to be combined with BT Business and Public Sector, whose own CEO Graeme Sutherland is to depart the company.

Paul Jacobs joins Exertis from Tech Data

Exertis has appointed Paul Jacobs to the newly created position of Director of business development and innovation, where he will be responsible for bringing new and emerging technologies that can add value to resellers. He was previously Business Unit Director at Tech Data UK.

Anson Zhang is Huawei's new UK MD

Huawei has named Anson Zhang as the new UK managing director for its consumer business. Zhang joined the company as its Finland MD in 2009 before taking up similar positions in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Ericsson names new chief legal officer

Ericsson appoints Xavier Dedullen (pictured) as it chief legal officer and head of legal affairs of compliance. He was previously Group General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Swiss-based firm LafargeHolcim. Ericsson has also appointed its CTO Erik Ekudden to its executive team.

Former Uber head is O2's new chief digital and strategy officer

Jo Bertram has been named O2's new digital and strategy officer, reporting directly to CEO Mark evans reports the FT. Bertram was head of Uber's northern European business but left last October. Since then she has been an executive in residence at tech fund EQT Ventures, a position she will retain once she joins O2 in April.

Andrew Taylor to be new Gamma Communications CEO

Andrew Taylor will take over the reins as CEO of Gamma Communications in May following the retirement of long-serving incumbent Bob Falconer. Taylor was previously CEO of Nomad Digital, which was acquired by Alstom in 2017, and before that was at Digicel where he oversaw the firm’s fixed and mobile networks in the Northern Caribbean

BT appoints new Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer

BT has hired Michael Sherman to fill the newly-created role of Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, reporting to CEO Gavin Patterson. Sherman joins from the Boston Consulting Group where he spent 11 years heading its Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) group in the US. 

Acer UK gets new head

Acer has appointed a new country manager for the UK, with Craig Booth promoted from within to replace Preben Fjeld who became Lenovo’s General Manager for UK and Ireland last November.

Micron makes key appointment

Micron has appointed Raj Talluri as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Business Unit. He will be responsible for leading and growing Micron’s mobile business. This includes building mobile solutions to address the growing market opportunity driven by new usage models.