Telia new broom makes sweeping management changes

Allison Kirkby, CEO of Nordic operator Telia Company since early May, is assembling a new-look management team. Some old hands will leave, others get promoted and two are outside appointments.

Markus Messerer, currently CEO of Alltron, the B2B business of Swiss IT group Competec, will join Telia in the fourth quarter in what looks to be a far-reaching role as SVP, chief of strategy, innovation and head of global business.

Rachel Samrén, who earns her crust as chief external affairs officer at Millicom, a Luxemburg-based telecoms outfit with a strong presence in Africa and Latin America, will become Telia's SVP, chief external affairs, governance and trust officer. Samrén is set to join the Nordic operator in the same timeframe as Messerer.

Kirkby billed the changes as a sort of reset button following the announcement of Telia's intended exit from Turkey and what she sees as a "renewed" focus on core markets in the Nordic and Baltic regions. "I have every confidence that these changes will help us accelerate our transformation journey and establish a new era of success for Telia," said Kirkby.

Another new management appointment is Dan Strömberg, who has risen through the ranks at Telia since the late 1990s. He takes over as SVP, head of LED (Lithuania, Estonia and Denmark), while continuing in his present role as Telia Lithuania's CEO.

Those leaving the company include Ingrid Stenmark, SVP, head of CEO office; Åsa Jamal SVP, head of group communications; and Emil Nilsson SVP, head of LED.

Peter Borsos, SVP, head of Telia Global, will continue in his present role, but he will leave the company once Messerer and Samrén arrive.

Kirkby thanked those leaving, saying they "contributed significantly to the company."

— Ken Wieland, contributing editor, special to Light Reading