• Lumen Technologies has a new CTO
• The EC’s AI gigafactory funding process slips into 2026
• HPE reports 14% sales hike for fiscal Q4

In today’s industry news roundup: US long-distance operator Lumen Technologies is losing its CTO Dave Ward but has a new head of tech starting in January; European AI gigafactory hopefuls will need to wait until next year to apply for EC funding; HPE sees total revenues climb but server sales fall in its fiscal fourth quarter; and more!

US long-distance data network operator Lumen Technologies has appointed Jim Fowler as chief technology and product officer starting 5 January 2026: He will be responsible for Lumen’s global technology and product strategy, including the continued evolution of the company’s network, digital platforms and product portfolio. Fowler, who joins from Nationwide Insurance, where he is CTO, has been on the Lumen board since 2023 but will step down from that role with immediate effect. Prior to Nationwide Insurance, Fowler has worked at General Electric, Accenture and AT&T. “Lumen has a unique opportunity to strengthen its position as the trusted network for AI,” stated Fowler. “I’ve seen firsthand as a board member and a customer the work this team has done to design a next-generation roadmap for the network and products. I’m excited to roll up my sleeves, partner with our engineers and product managers to ensure continued innovation and execute Lumen’s roadmap with urgency for our customers and shareholders.” Fowler replaces Dave Ward, who is leaving Lumen to become chief architect at Salesforce: Ward will remain at Lumen in an advisory capacity until 23 January to help Fowler bed into his new role. Lumen’s CEO, Kate Johnson, was full of praise for Ward, who is a veteran of the data networking world. “Dave’s visionary leadership has laid a foundation that will influence Lumen’s trajectory for years ahead, and we thank him for his service.” She added: “Invention is where value is born. Execution is where value is realised. Jim is uniquely suited to lead our technology and product teams as we unlock the value of Dave’s contributions, solidifying our transformation progress and returning Lumen to revenue growth.”

Europe says it’s in a hurry to develop sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure but the region’s lawmakers aren’t helping to speed things up, as the process that enables companies to apply for European Commission (EC) funding for AI gigafactory developments, originally expected before the end of 2025, has now been pushed into next year. The EC and the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) have signed a memorandum of understanding to support the development and deployment of AI gigafactories across the European Union: The agreement “establishes a framework to accelerate the financing and development of the AI gigafactories that will anchor Europe’s future AI infrastructure,” noted the EC in this announcement. “Beyond unlocking investment, this partnership aims to translate Europe’s AI vision into concrete, large‑scale facilities that can power innovation, strengthen technological sovereignty, and position the EU as a global leader in artificial intelligence,” it added. “The EIB Group will provide tailored advisory support to consortia that responded to the commission’s informal Call for Expression of Interest,” continued the EC, before noting that “this guidance will help turn ambitious concepts into bankable projects that can be submitted in the formal call for the establishment of AI gigafactories planned for early 2026, paving the way for potential EIB co-financing.” The EC has a €20bn facility to support the development of up to five AI gigafactories as part of its InvestAI initiative. Among the companies expected to submit bids along with partners are Deutsche Telekom – see this report from 1 December – and Telefónica. 

HPE reported revenues of $9.7bn, up 14% year on year, for the fourth quarter of its fiscal year that ended 31 October but also recorded a slight operating loss of $8m compared with an operating profit of $247m a year earlier. “HPE finished a transformative year with a strong fourth quarter of profitable growth and disciplined execution,” stated president and CEO Antonio Neri. “During the year, we completed the Juniper Networks acquisition, further scaled our AI and cloud businesses, and accelerated innovation across our portfolio, giving HPE momentum to advance our strategic priorities in fiscal 2026.” Of some concern, though, will be the 5% year-on-year dip in server revenues to $4.5bn at a time when demand for server products is high. Networking revenues, though, grew 150% to $2.8bn thanks to the impact of the Juniper acquisition. 

Netflix has struck a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to acquire Warner Bro, including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO, in a deal that values the WBD assets at $82.7bn. The transaction is set to close after the previously announced separation of WBD’s global networks division, Discovery Global, into a new publicly traded company, a move that is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2026. The WBD deal will add TV shows and movies, such as The Big Bang Theory, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz and the DC Universe to the Netflix stable. “Our mission has always been to entertain the world,” said Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. “By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies – from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends – with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we’ll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”

– The staff, TelecomTV