Kjell Morten Johnsen, previously COO of Veon and head of Telenor Europe, will replace Anders Nilsson as president and CEO of Tele2 as of September 15.
Nilsson indicated earlier this year to the Board that he was considering stepping down from his role at some point in the future, provided a solid succession plan was in place. Tele2’s board of directors has therefore conducted a structured process and this has been finalised with the appointment of Johnsen, who has over 20 years of experience in the telecom sector including many leadership roles.
Commenting on the appointment, Carla Smits-Nusteling, chairman of the board at Tele2, said: With the integration of Com Hem behind us and an ambitious transformation journey ahead, I am pleased that Kjell Morten Johnsen has agreed to join Tele2. His vast experience as a leader in global telecommunications will be a great asset for Tele2, which will continue to thrive under his leadership”.
Johnsen added: “I am honoured by the opportunity to lead Tele2 going forward. The company has a great history as a challenger and innovator in the telecommunications sector and has gone through an impressive transformation journey over the last few years. I see a bright future, and I look forward to being part of Tele2’s journey through both challenges and the great opportunities ahead”.
Smits-Nusteling continued: “While the board regrets to see Anders Nilsson leave the company, we respect his decision and would like to thank him for his great contribution to Tele2. Anders’ leadership and devotion made it possible for Tele2 to execute on an impressive transformation in a short time and deliver significant value to all its stakeholder”.
Nilsson said: “It has been six very intense and fantastic years running Com Hem and Tele2. I have however now come to the conclusion that it is time for me to take a break and focus on other things in life for a while. This was not an easy decision as there is no good time to leave a great company, but we have a highly capable and motivated team to make the next chapter of our strategy happen. I will definitely continue to cheer them on from the sideline. I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who made this journey possible and supported the team and me. It’s been a true honour”.
