Verizon is divvying up its business and consumer customers into two separate operating units as part of a broader structural reorganization that CEO Hans Vestberg has decided to implement as the carrier focuses on 5G efforts.
Ronan Dunne, the current head of Verizon’s wireless business, will lead the carrier’s new Consumer Group, comprised of consumer wireless and wireline businesses, as well as wireless wholesale.
Wireless and wireline enterprise, small and medium business, government businesses, and wireline wholesale will fall under Verizon’s new Business Group, led by Tami Erwin. Erwin is currently EVP of wireless operations at Verizon, and as noted by the Wall Street Journal, the new position is a promotion for Erwin, who began her career as a wireless customer-service rep and climbed the ranks to hold a number of senior positions. The company’s telematics business, Verizon Connect, will also be part of the business-focused unit.
Kyle Malady, who stepped into the interim CTO role this summer after Vestberg succeeded Lowell McAdam as CEO, will head up Verizon’s new Global Network & Technology segment as the company moves forward with its 5G build-out.
The third consumer-facing unit under the new organizational structure is Verizon’s Media Group/Oath. Guru Gowrappan will lead the division, which integrates media, advertising, gaming and other services. Gowrappan, the current CEO of Oath, stepped into the chief executive position in October following the exit of Oath’s former CEO Tim Armstrong.
The changes will take effect Jan. 1, and Verizon said there are no leadership changes for company-wide staff functions.
“This new structure reflects a clear strategy that starts with Verizon customers,” said Vestberg, in a statement. “We’re building on our network transformation efforts and the Intelligent Edge architecture to deliver new customer experiences and optimize the growth opportunities we see as leaders in the 5G era. We’re focused on how our technology can benefit customers’ lives and society at large.”
This is the first major organizational action Vestberg has taken since becoming CEO, though October reports said Vestberg was evaluating hundreds of the company’s top-level managers as he looked to form a new leadership team by year end.
Vestberg, who joined Verizon in April 2017 after serving as president and CEO of Ericsson for six years, has also overseen the carrier’s efforts to cut $10 billion in costs and execute its network-focused 5G strategy.
