Ronny Verhelst, CEO of Tele Columbus, will leave Germany’s third-largest cable operator on February 1, 2018 for personal reasons.
His successor will be Timm Degenhardt (pictured) who joins Tele Columbus from Swiss telecommunications provider Sunrise. He will start at Tele Columbus on August 14, 2017 and become a member of the group’s management board from September 1, 2017 to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.
“With the upcoming introduction of a new and consolidated brand in autumn 2017, I will have accomplished my mission at Tele Columbus to make the company fit for the future”, states the native Belgian Ronny Verhelst who has been heading Tele Columbus since April 2011. “I would like to thank all my colleagues at Tele Columbus for their fantastic commitment as well as all our partners for the excellent cooperation over the past seven years. At the same time, I would like to ask for their understanding regarding my decision to relocate my focal point of life to my home in Belgium.”
German Timm Degenhardt had been Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at Sunrise since 2013. Most recently, he was the company’s Chief Consumer Officer and member of the management board with responsibility for the consumer business.
“I am very excited to commence my new role, because I am truly convinced that the new digital applications, the growing demand for media content and the increasing mobile usage will offer great opportunities for a high performance broadband internet and entertainment provider such as Tele Columbus”, said Degenhardt. “The German market has to catch up a lot in international comparisons when it comes to innovation and adaption of new tech and media trends. In my opinion, a nationwide yet also locally-footed provider like Tele Columbus offers excellent opportunities to tap that potential.”